The Actors
by Anime crazed girl
Summary: The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.
1. Home

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The Actors

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. xD

_Notes/Warnings: _None this chapter. As a note, yes this story has an OC. Yes, it has Yaoi (Later on). Yes, the OC is related to someone on the show.

_**DEAL**_.

If you don't like it, don't read or review. Just hit the button that says, "Back" Or the little backspace key on your keyboard.

_**Thank you**_, all of you, who have read and love my stories. I hope you enjoy this one just like my others!

* * *

_Chapter 1 - Home_

* * *

In the middle of filming, the blonde blinked and stopped dead in his tracks. He'd forgotten something. "Guys…" He said, looking over at the film crew next to him.

They sighed. This was the _**6**__**th**_ take Naruto had ruined during the day and they were running out of daylight.

"What time is it?" He asked.

No one could tell what the blonde was thinking. Who could?

Before long, the director looked at his watch. "It's a little after 3, Naruto. Now, can we get this done _**before**_ Shippūden comes out on tv, please?!"

Hearing the time, Naruto's face turned to shock. "_**Oh shit, I'm late!!**_" He yelled, turning and ruinng off toward the village.

That was one good thing about Naruto. Once he was focused, he could do anything to the best, if not _**more**_, of his abilitiy. The downfall was that his focus was very easily taken. He could be doing the film of his career, the best scene ever – and he would stop just to eat ramen.

But he was the star of the show. What else could they do?

"Take 5 people." The director said, hanging his head and sighing. "Sasuke," He asked knowing the raven was around _**somewhere**_.

"Yeah?" Said raven asked, appearing behind the director.

"Can you go round him up? He's gone again."

Being that Naruto was his bestfriend, Sasuke had no problem with it. "Yeah. I'll be back with the dobe." He vanished in a poof of smoke.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Miss," Izumo said, holding back the girl who stood in front of the desk. "You _**cannot**_ enter Konoha without your papers of approval."

The slightly blonde, slightly brunette sighed. "And I told you before. My cousin lives here and _**he**_ has my papers. If you would just let me – "

He shook his head. "It's a no-go."

She huffed, her deep pristine blue eyes shutting. "Well, if _**I**_ can't go find him, why don't you? That way we can clear up this mess." She suggested, eyes still closed.

He raised an eyebrow. No missing-nin would suggest something like that, but still. He _**had**_ to be cautious. Maybe she was just good at fooling people. "Alright…" He began. "Who is this mysterious cousin of yours?"

She smiled, remembering the name. "Uzumaki Naruto." She said, smiling.

Izomo laughed as hard as he could. "That's a _**great**_ joke, miss. Hokage-sama doesn't have any brother's or sister's, therefore, his son, Naruto, _**couldn't**_ have any cousins." He explained.

* * *

Sasuke sighed, following Naruto. Where the hell was he going? "Naruto!!" He yelled, trying to get the blonde's attention.

"I'm late, I'm late!!" The blonde screamed back, seeing the raven come up beside him. After all, the raven was much faster than the blonde, but Naruto had somewhere to be.

"You sound like the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland." He stated. "Where _**are**_ you going?" Just like Sasuke; always as calm as ever.

"Sorry, sorry, but I'm really late!" Naruto blasted off.

Still thinking about the Alice in Wonderland comment, Sasuke noticed the similarities between Alice and Naruto. Both were blonde, had blue eyes and had the wildest imaginations. Then the thought of Naruto in Alice's dress popped into his mind.

Sasuke winced.

That _**wasn't**_ a pretty sight.

* * *

Still smiling, she calmly said, "You'd be surprised."

"Yeah, yeah," He said, waving her off. "Get on out of here with that ruse, or else I'll call the Anbu and have you escorted out."

She narrowed her eyes. "It's _**not**_ a ruse."

He sighed, taking a good look at the girl. She did look _**something**_ like the Hokage, Namikaze Minato, but yet like Naruto as well. She had some type of strikingly blonde hair, even if it was dulled a little with the brunette, along with the trademark blue, somewhat slanted eyes. It wasn't hard to believe she was one of the Namikaze's, but without something to _**prove**_ it…

He sighed again. "I'm sorry, Miss, I can't let you past this desk." He tapped said desk with his finger.

Suddenly, from behind the desk, Kotetsu, Izumo's friend and commrade, poked his head in. "Incoming."

An orange blurr suddenly went through the door, almost taking Kotetsu's head off and blowing every paper on Izumo's desk onto the floor in a wonderfully scrambled mess. "Kirei-nee-chan, I'm _**soooooooo**_ sorry I'm late!! We were filming and I was _**all**_ in the flow of it and I lost track of time and _**then**_ I remembered that I had to be here with your pape –"

"Breathe, Nii-san." She said, motioning with her hands. Naruto did have a knack for showing up at the right time. "I don't want you passing out on me."

Izumo found the situation confusing. Was she _**really**_ related to Naruto? "Um…Naruto, can you explain?"

Of course, the blonde was too focused on "Kirei" to hear him. "Oh, Kirei-nee-chan," He said, hugging her. "It's been _**way**_ too long! Look, you're tall now!!"

She hugged back, laughing. "I'm surprised you noticed, you're still taller than me!!"

He squeezed her small waist before letting go. "Now, let's see…" He said, rummaging through the pockets in his signature orange and black jacket. "They're here _**somewhere**_… Found em!!" He exclaimed, pulling out a few very wrinkled papers. Then turning to Izumo, he smiled his also signature grin. "Sorry, Izumo. I was supposed to be here earlier – "

Taking the papers, Izumo sighed. What a pair _**they**_ were. "It's fine. Just explain to me what the hell's going on."

Laughing sheepishly, Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "It's pretty simple. My dad was adopted when he was little, but he remembered that he had a little sister – "

"My mom." Kirei cut in.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. He's called them over a few times, in secret, but Kirei-nee-chan's coming to live in Konoha." He explained.

Izumo nodded, looking at the papers and hearing the story at the same time. "Alright then. It looks like you're clear, Namikaze-san."

In the other room, Sasuke also heard the story and was a little confused. He'd known Naruto nearly _**all**_ his life and yet he never heard this before? Strange. But after all…Naruto _**was**_ a strange person.

"Please," She said, smiling. "Just Kirei. Formalities are such a mess."

He smiled back. "Well, I hope you like living here, Kirei." He handed her her papers as Naruto bounced in waiting.

She nodded, seeing the village from the windows. "I'm sure I will."

"Okay, okay, can we get going?" Naruto asked, bouncing and pulling his cousin past the desk and into the next room. "There's a _**lot**_ you need to see!!"

"Still the same as ever, Nii-san." Kirei replied, smiling, letting Naruto drag her. All she had to do was get her ID from Kotetsu and she was clear to go.

Naruto still bounced. "Come on, Kotetsu, a snail can move faster than _**you**_!" He cried.

"Paitence is a virtue, Naruto." Was the calm reply. He took Kirei's papers, getting up and walking into a back room.

"Screw virtue!! I need to go show nee-chan lots of things before night falls!!" He yelled back.

Standing right by the door, waiting for Naruto, Sasuke said, "You dobe, if she's going to be living here, you've got _**forever**_ to show her everything."

Naruto turned to Sasuke, "Teme…" He whined. With Sasuke here, he was going to make him go back to filming, something he'd be glad to do, but Kirei was his priority as of the moment.

Kirei was a little more excited to see Sasuke than Naruto was. "You're Uchiha Sasuke!" She squealed, setting down the bag on her back and rummaging through it.

He raised an eyebrow at her. He looked at Naruto for an answer.

"She's a fan of the show." He explained.

All was clear now. "I see."

She smiled, "Yeah, it's all because my cousin's the star, but I was wondering," She pulled a laminated photo from her bag. "Can you sign this? I wanna get everyone's signature, and I figured since you're here…" She led off, smiling at him.

Wow, talk about similarities. Was it Sasuke or did Kirei have _**nearly**_ the same grin and slanted eyes as Naruto? "Sure, no problem." He said, taking it from her and setting it on the unoccupied desk before signing.

The photo was of the whole cast of Naruto, or at least, the main cast. It only had one signature other than his own; Naruto's.

After signing it, he handed it back to her. "All signed for you."

She took it back, saying her thank you's and then it hit her. Laughing a bit, she said, "Wow, I _**totally**_ forgot to introduce myself. That's so rude of me."

Sasuke blinked. She even had the same memory capacity of Naruto. _**Jeez**_. "It's okay. I overheard Naruto explaining it to Izumo."

She sighed. "That's good. It'll be one less time I need to explain it. But, anyway," She extended her hand. "Namikaze Kirei."

He shook her hand. "You already know who I am."

She smiled as he let her hand go. "Who _**doesn't**_ know you?"

"_**FINALLY**_!!" Naruto screamed as Kotetsu set Kirei's new ID on the desk. He grabbed it as fast as lightning and was right beisde Kirei, handing it to her. "Okay, okay, let's go!!" He literally pushed Kirei out of the building from behind, her heels skidding alond the ground.

Sasuke followed in amusement.

* * *

Only a few minutes later, Kirei was out in front of the two boys, taking in the sights and yet taking glances to make sure they were still behind her. After all, she didn't know where she was going.

"So, I saw you flirting with nee-chan earlier." Naruto began, making Sasuke choke on air.

"_**Excuse**_ me?" He replied, calming himself first. "I wasn't flirting with her."

Naruto grinned, glancing at him. "_**Uh**_-_**huh**_. Keep telling yourself that. You were flirting and you _**know**_ it."

Sasuke was still rather calm. "I wasn't."

"Well, let me make this clear, teme," Naruto began in a voice Sasuke had only heard very few times. It meant he wasn't joking. "She's the only little cousin I have and I'll be _**damned**_ if someone hurts her. So don't you _**dare**_ go falling in love with her."

Looking incredulously at Naruto, Sasuke said, "I'm not, you baka, I just met her. Plus, she's not my type."

Naruto nodded. "Good. Cause she's really easy to fall in love with."

"Ano sa, ano sa!!" Kirei called from up ahead of them. "Where the hell am I going?!"

Naruto laughed. "Sorry!!" He ran up to her, hooking an arm around her shoulder. "Well, _**first**_ we're gonna go to the ramen stand and eat _**loads**_ of ramen, then we're gonna go to the playground and after that we're gonna catch a movie in that new movie theather we have and – "

"That sounds _**awesome**_, nii-san," Kirei cut him off, yawning. "but do you think we can do it tomorrow?" She looked up at him with her big blue eyes.

Smiling, he tousled her long hair. "Yeah, no problem." Still walking, he looked behind him to Sasuke. "Yo, teme, you can go ahead back to filming. I'm gonna take her home and then I'll be there."

Sasuke nodded. "If you aren't there in 10, I'm coming to get you."

Kirei waved her hand, knowing Sasuke was somewhere behind her. "I'll make sure that he gets there."

Sasuke vanished in the blink of an eye, just as Naruto and Kirei did.

* * *

"Come on, nee-chan, faster!" Naruto exclaimed, pulling Kirei along by her hands.

Laughing, she replied, "Okay, okay. I'm coming!"

The night had gone by like lightning for Kirei. She'd gotten crushed to death by her uncle, who was very happy to see her. He said he'd come see her today as well, just to make sure she was fitting in.

Today was the day she was meeting the rest of the cast of the hit Tv show, Naruto. Of course, it was based _**solely**_ on her cousin's life. Some of the show was real, while other parts of it were fake. For example, all the characters were _**real**_ ninja, with real lives and missions, but they played themselves in the show.

Parts of the show were also very fake as well. Orochimaru's "Immortal Jutsu" along with the Cursed Seal were fake, made up by producers to make the story line more interesting. Akatsuki and the Yondaime's death were also fake.

Only certain things about the show were drawn from truth, like the Biju and the Jinchūriki's. All nine biju existed, along with the jinchūriki that hosted them.

Before Kirei knew it, they had found their way to the filming site, where everyone was eating breakfast provided by the crew and chatting.

Seeing the large group of people, knowing them and yet _**not**_ knowing them, butterflies rose in her stomach.

Naruto could scene her hesitation. "It'll be fine, nee-chan." He reassured her, placing his arm around her shoulders.

"Naru-kun! It's about time!!" The blue-haired girl said as she walked up to the two of them.

Kirei recognized her immediately as the shy Hyuuga Hinata. But this Hinata didn't seem too shy.

She noticed Kirei rather quickly. "You must be Kirei-chan." She said with a smile. "I've heard a few things about you."

The butterflies in her stomach began to simmer down with Hinata's calm voice. "Really? I hope they're good things, Hinata."

Hinata figured if she already knew her name, she was a fan of the show. "They are." She nodded. "Now, why don't you come with me and I'll introduce you to the girls?"

Wow, Hinata was really sweet. "Sure, even though I know who all of you are."

Smiling, Naruto let Kirei go. "Don't have _**too**_ much fun."

Kirei pouted at him playfully, getting pulling on his hand with both of hers. "Than what else am I supposed to do?"

Hinata laughed, causing the other two to laugh as well. "Let's go before they start filming, okay?" She then led her off to the other actress-nin's of the show.

Naruto on the other hand went off toward his friends, knowing Kirei was in good hands.

The usuals were all chatting, but when Naruto came up, Kiba was the first one to ask about the girl Naruto'd brought with him.

"So, who's the new girl?" He asked, leaning on Akamaru, the huge dog behind him, watching as Hinata led her along.

"If she's staying long," Shikamaru started, leaning on a tree with his eyes closed. "We'll need to rate her."

"Go right ahead," Naruto said, shrugging his shoulders. "just remember that she's my cousin."

Neji looked at him. "_**Cousin**_?"

The other guys looked at the blonde as well.

He sighed. "Long story short, my dad was adopted, her mom was his little sister and she's coming to live here."

Of course, Sasuke already knew this story. He was watching her from across the way. After all, he would have to rate her as well.

It was a "game" all the guys did when a new girl came onto the set for a long time. They would rate the girl before they met her based on three things; Looks, Personality and Interest.

Each category was then based on a system of 1 to 10, 1 being the lowest, 10 the highest. The girl who scored the highest was Hinata, with an average of 9, 8.5 and 9.

After rating, when said girl would come to meet the guys, she'd be tricked into picking a fanclub to join. As of the moment, Sasuke's and Naruto's were tied with Neji, Shikamaru, and Kiba tieing for third.

So now, it was _**Kirei's**_ turn to be rated and to pick a fanclub.

Kiba went first, looking at her for a minute as she met with Sakura. "I'll give her a 9 on the looks, 9.5 on the personality and…a 9.6 on interest."

"You're such a pervert, Kiba." Came the remark from a smirking Shikamaru.

Kiba retorted back, "I can't help it if she's cute!"

He rolled his eyes. It was always so easy to rile him up. "7.9 on looks, 8 on personality and 7 on interest." He said, eyes closed the entire time. And without needing to see, he knew some of the other's were looking at him. "What? She's a carbon copy of Naruto… and she's too loud for my taste."

After a few more ratings and averaging out from Shikamaru, Kirei was third in total rating, with Hinata still reigning queen and Raiha, the reigning princess. Raiha was also rather new, the editor of script for the film crew.

"Now, I wonder who's fanclub she'll be in?" Neji asked, watching as waved to the girls and was walking over with Hinata at her side.

"Nut-uh, guys, she's _**off**_ limits." Naruto said sternly. Like he told Sasuke before, he'd be damned if one of his friends broke her heart. "Plus," He grinned. "She's in _**my**_ fanclub."

"Hey guys," Hinata began as she walked up to the group. "This is Kirei, Naruto's cousin."

Before any of them could get a word in to say "hello" or introduce themselves, Kirei took a deep breath. Starting at the far left, she began, pointing at each of the guys. "Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuuga Neji, Aburame Shino, Akimichi Chouji, Nara Shikamaru, Inuzuka Kiba, Akamaru, Rock Lee and of course, Naruto." She was smiling the entire time.

"Nice job, Kirei-chan!!" Lee exclaimed.

Kiba stared at her. "_**DUDE**_!! You've got that _**ESPN**_ thing, _**don't**_ you?!" He said, jumping up on his feet.

"You dumbass, it's _**ESP**_." Neji stated. He'd already figured out she was a fan of the show.

He shrugged his shoulders. "_**Whatever**_, it's _**awesome**_!!"

The others sighed. And everyone thought _**Naruto**_ was the dumb one.

"Kiba," Shikamaru sighed. "She's a fan of the show. Of course she knows us."

Kirei grinned also giggling. "Bingo! You're not the smart one for nothing, Shikamaru."

"Hey, other than Kiba, we're all pretty smart." Neji stood up, walking over to her. "Nice to meet you."

"You too." She smiled. Before she knew it, his arm was set on her shoulders.

"Have you decided what fanclub you're in?" He asked.

"Neji, you're such a leech." Kiba scowled. "Don't join, Kirei, don't join. He has all these _**rules**_ and shit."

Neji glared at him. "I have those rules for a reason, dumbass. At least I'm nice and I take my fangirls out everyonce in a while." Neji was definitely a ladies man. "You see, Kirei-chan, I take my girls out to dinner or buy them stuff once in a while, just to keep em happy, that's all."

Smiling, she refused. "That's okay, I'll pass."

Kiba grinned.

"_**Techincally**_, I'm part of all your fanclubs, cause I like everyone on the show…with some exceptions." She explained, shaking Neji's arm from her shoulders.

"And who would that be?" Shino asked. A man of few words, she had caught his attention with her "I like everyone" comment.

She shivered as she said it. "Orochimaru and his man-bitch."

All of them looked at her. Even Shikamaru bothered to open his eyes.

With them looking at her, she laughed. "_**Kabuto**_? He's obviously his man-bitch. "Let me get you your medicine, Orochimaru-sama, let me change your bandages Orochimaru-sama, that way you can ravage me better!"!" She said in her best mocking tone.

A few chuckles were heard through the roaring laughter.

Naruto slid down a tree trunk, holding his sides. He said something, but was laughing so hard, it wasn't understood.

"Okay, okay, people, we're starting!!" A slender brunette called from the crew's stand of camera's.

Hinata looked at her and then motioned for Kirei to look as well. "That's Raiha-chan." She said. Whispering, she added, "We all think she and Neji are going out, but we aren't sure."

"Oh _**really**_?" Kirei asked. She looked back and forth between Raiha and Neji. "They _**do**_ look cute together."

"Hinata, why don't you go ahead and get ready, I'll be there in a minute." Naruto said, watching as the rest of the cast went to the film sight.

"Sure." She nodded, vanishing and meeting up with Sakura, Karin, Ten Ten and Ino.

He hooked his arm around her shoulders again, walking and yet leading Kirei along. "Have fun?"

She nodded, still smiling. "Yep."

"Well, since we'll be here all day, you can do whatever you want… but if you wanna head out, let me know and I'll take you home, okay?"

"Sure. I'll probably just find a nice big tree and get some sleep. I'm still kinda tired from traveling, nii-san." She streched her arms out, yawning as well.

Kissing her forehead, he said, "Okay. Maybe during lunch we'll head off and get you a cell phone."

"Really?!" She'd always wanted one of those.

He nodded. "Yep. But I've gotta go, I'll catch you later!" He vanished, appearing with the large group a good few yards away from her.

It was only 8 in the morning and already, Kirei was tired.

Today was going to be a _**long**_ day.

* * *

Even though she said she was going to go to sleep, Kirei found it very hard to peal her eyes away.

In front of her was the perfect place for a huge fan of the show.

They were filming Part II of Naruto, otherwise known as Shippūden. Being the fan she was, it was amazing to watch the actors film so close together without disrupting the other.

On one side was Sasuke and Team Hebi, the other was occupied by Naruto and the team they formed to find Sasuke.

"So how's the filming going?"

Kirei gasped, hearing the very familiar voice of her Uncle as he appeared in front of her. She jumped up from her sitting position, glomping her uncle. "_**Uncle Yondy!!**_" She cried.

Laughing, he hugged back. "Jeez, you saw me last night!!"

"I know, I know," She said, letting him go. "But I missed you guys."

He smiled, tousling her hair. "I missed you too." Taking a look behind him, to his son, he watched the filming for a minute. "Looks like it's going good."

She smiled, her attention caught again. "Oh yeah, they haven't had to stop _**yet**_!"

Looking back at her, he smiled. "That's really good. But I came to tell you that school's gonna start in about a week or two."

She sighed. "Really? I _**still**_ need to go to school?"

"Yes, you do. Just one more year and you can graduate. I'll have Naruto show you where it is and give you a tour, alright?" He asked, seeing her rather unenthusiastic face.

"Yeah…" Looking up at him, she was completely serious. "Do I have to wear a uniform?"

He rose an eyebrow, but knew it was important to her. She had always been a child of style. "No, you do not."

"_**YES**_!!" She smiled, pulling a fist back. Then, once again, she hugged her uncle. "Thanks, Uncle Yondy."

He smiled, hugging back once again. "No problem…But I've got to get back to being Hokage."

She sighed, lettign go of her uncle. "We'll see you around then."

"Love you."

"Love you too, Uncle Yondy!" She yelled as he vanished into smoke. "Uncle Yondy" came from when she was a child, when she couldn't say Yondaime, but could say Yondy. Therefore, he became Uncle Yondy.

"Uncle Yondy, huh? Such a _**strange**_ name."

Sitting back down, Kirei found Kiba walking up to her, a smile on his face, Akamaru behind him. "Well, I _**am**_ a strange person." She replied, smiling as well.

He sat next to her, Akamaru coming up to her other side, setting his large head in her lap. "I won't argue with that."

Laughing, she started to rub Akamaru's ears, getting a very rough, but happy growl in response. "He always does this?"

Kiba nodded. "Yeah, he likes girls. They always give him attention."

"Well of course," She smiled, gently using her nails behind his ears. "He's _**adorable**_."

"That's what they say about me, too!" Kiba joked, watching her as she focused on Akamaru. She was just too cute to look away from.

She chuckled. "We'll see about _**that**_." She shot him a glance from the corner of her eye, smirking.

She knew just how to work that cuteness, didn't she? "So, I overheard you guys." He began as she looked back toward Akamaru. "You're still in school?"

"Yep. Last year, thank god." She answered. "I'm not really into the school scene."

"What about being a ninja? Ever thought of that?" He asked, still watching her.

The rubbing stopped for a second, but at Akamaru's pleaing whine, she continued. "No. My _**real**_ nii-san was a ninja, but he didn't want me to be one."

Even this made Kiba think. If she came to live with Naruto, why didn't her brother? "Where is he now?" He asked, not thinking of the possiblities of the reasons he stayed behind.

"If you don't mind," Kirei started off, very calm, yet somewhat sad. "I'd rather not talk about him."

Realizing he hit a nerve, he nodded. "Sure, sure."

Walking up to the three, Naruto noticed the change in Kirei and knew what had been talked about. He'd have to remember to tell everyone not to ask about her brother again. "Hey, nee-chan!!" He called, setting a grin on his face.

She looked up and smiled.

"We still need to get you a cell phone." He reminded her, coming up and crouching down, petting Akamaru as well. "And we're on break, so we should go now."

"Okay then." She smiled, letting Akamaru get up from her lap. She streched her legs first before walking off with Naruto. "See ya, Kiba!" She called, waving back to him.

He waved back, watching her walk away. Boy, was she cute…

* * *

Hours later, after filming for the day had been completed, Sasuke sat in his favorite coffee house, having his favorite cup of coffee.

He was usually found here, always having a drink before heading home for the night. But with all the rain, he found he wasn't going to be getting home so soon. Of course, he could teleport there, but what was the fun in that?

Watching the rain, the phone on the table began to vibrate and move across the table. He sighed, figuring it was –

Naruto. Calling him.

He took the phone, drink in the other hand, opening it and pulling it up to his ear. "Speak mortal."

"You're not God, teme." Naruto replied, jokingly.

Sasuke could hear the grin in his voice. "You _**sure**_?"

"You haven't killed me off with a bolt of lightning yet." Was Naruto's answer as he laughed. The laughter stopped after a minute. "Have you seen Kirei by any chance? She's not with you, _**is**_ she?" The grin disappeared from his voice and worry filled the void.

"Your _**cousin**_? No, she's not with me, why?"

A disappointed sigh came across the line. "I can't find her anywhere. She said she was going for a walk and she'd be back…but then it started raining…and I've been trying to call her, but she won't pick up or anything." He explained, trying to keep calm, even though Sasuke could still hear the franticness in his voice.

He sighed again. This wasn't a good situation. "Do you want me to look for her while I'm out?" He asked, knowing how much a sibling meant, even if it wasn't by blood. He only had his sibling, too.

"Could you, _**please**_? I'm so fucking worried, it's not even funny." He quickly answered.

If Sasuke was speaking with him in person, Naruto would be pacing back and forth, wringing his hands, maybe even biting his nail.

Naruto was doing two of the three.

"Yeah, I'll text you with updates." He answered, dowing the last of his coffee.

Naruto sighed a very relieved sigh. With him searching as well, Naruto felt a little more at ease. "Thanks Sasuke. You don't know how much she means to me."

"I have an idea." He replied, getting up and throwing away the empty cup. "I'll see what I can do." He cliped the phone shut, heading out the door, pulling up the collar of his jacket.

It just _**had**_ to be raining, didn't it?


	2. Rain

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. xD

_Notes/Warnings: _None this chapter. As a note, yes this story has an OC. Yes, it has Yaoi (Later on). Yes, the OC is related to someone on the show.

_**DEAL**_.

If you don't like it, don't read or review. Just hit the button that says, "Back" Or the little backspace key on your keyboard.

Thank you, all of you, who have read and love my stories. I hope you enjoy this one just like my others!

* * *

_Chapter 2 - Rain_

* * *

Only 10 minutes of light drizzle passed before Sasuke saw it on the dirt path.

A drowned cell phone.

Which meant Naruto's cousin was right around here, so he kept walking. He'd find her eventually.

"_**Sasuke**_?"

Turning to his left, he didn't see anyone but found a very large tree with most of the trunk torn out. He walked toward it, crouching and looking inside.

What he found was a very dry Kirei, looking back at him. "What are you doing here?" She asked as he found his way inside.

There was more than enough room for the two, the trees of Konoha unusually large. "I should ask _**you**_ the same thing. Naruto's worried sick." He took off his jacket, wringing it out before putting it back on.

"I know…" She said, pulling her knees close to her. "I didn't mean to be gone this long."

Slipping out his phone, he handed it to her. "Call him. Let him know you're okay. I already saw yours out there."

She laughed. "Yeah…it was just starting to rain and I dropped it, but I wasn't stopping to go get it." She replied before calling her cousin.

It didn't even get to ring before Naruto picked up. "Sasuke?!"

"No, it's me." Kirei said, hearing Naruto's worried voice.

"Oh, _**thank**_ _**god**_!! I was so worried about you!! Why didn't you call or anything?!" He yelled back, not mad at her, but still upset.

She smiled sheepishly. "I dropped my phone…"

Naruto sighed. "Okay then…Just get home when it stops raining, okay? I know you don't like the rain."

"I will." She answered, watching the rain outside. "Love you, nii-san."

"Love you, too. See ya!" The click on the line meant that he'd hung up, so Kirei did too.

Handing back his phone, Kirei smiled at Sasuke. "You don't need to stay here, if you want to go home. I'll be fine." She had an idea on Sasuke's personality and staying with someone inside a tree in the middle of a rainstorm was not one of the things he usually would do.

He raised an eyebrow. "You're not going home yet?"

She shook her head, watching the rain fall.

"Why?" He asked.

She was still silent, still watching.

Sasuke was wrong, as well as Shikamaru. She was _**not**_ a carbon copy of Naruto, like they thought. They were just eerie similar in some ways. He sighed. "Alright then…if I tell you what I'm scared of, will you tell me?"

She looked over at him in shock. "_**You're**_ scared of something?!" She laughed. "The great Uchiha Sasuke who killed Orochimaru off is scared of something!!"

He smiled, hearing her laugh. "Yeah, yeah." He sighed first. Hopefully Kirei wasn't a loudmouth like Naruto was. "I'm scared of snakes."

Her laughter died down, but her smile remained as she looked at him. "…that was _**totally**_ unexpected."

"Yeah, it usually catches people off guard." He chuckled. "I've had a fear of them since I was a kid."

Ruffling her eyebrows, she said, "But you work with them…"

He shook his head. "Not really. Everytime you see me in the show with a snake around, it's one of Naruto's Kage Bushin's, or Naruto himself." He explained. "Now, since I told you, you tell me."

She looked back out at the rain, noticing the increase in water and the rumbling thunder. "I have Ombrophobia." She glanced back at him, seeing the confused look. "The fear of rain or being rained on."

"So _**that's**_ why you didn't go back for your phone." He thought out loud.

She smiled a bit, looking over at him. "Yeah, I've had it since I was a kid too. Just playing in the rain one day, got a fever and had to go to the hospital…just a bad experience." She explained, shrugging her shoulders. "But like I said, you don't have to stay here with me. You've probably got better things to do anyway."

He thought for a minute. Yeah, he could've let her stay there and go home, maybe to train or something…but, what were a few hours in a rainstorm? Plus, Naruto might kill him if he left her alone, even if she told him it was okay. "Nah," He said after a minute of thinking. "I don't mind sitting in the rain."

"Out of the rain." She corrected in a playful tone.

He smirked. "Yeah, out of the rain."

* * *

"Here." Sasuke said as he handed his tailor made Uchiha jacket to Kirei, who sat right next to him.

An hour and a half had passed and slowly, daylight was fading although the rain was picking up. With the fading daylight and the increasing rain, the temperature was dropping fast.

He could withstand cold temperatures, but he wasn't sure about her.

"No, it's okay, I'm fine." She hadn't moved from her spot, knees pulled up close, arms around her legs, chin resting on them.

He didn't believe her. "You're shivering."

"Oh, _**fine**_, you worry wart." She took his jacket, setting it around her shoulders. She had to admit, she was cold and hadn't expected it to rain _**this**_ long.

"Better?" He asked, seeing her shivering nearly stop.

She nodded. "Yeah, actually. Thanks."

He could've sworn she moved closer to him. "You're welcome."

She sighed and looked out into the growing darkness. Looking closely, she could've sworn that the rain had stopped. "Did it stop?" She mumbled, crawling from her spot the opening of the tree.

What she didn't hear, Sasuke heard. A crack resonated from further up the very high tree, so high, that he almost didn't hear it, but he knew what it meant. "Hey, Kirei, get back here for a second."

"Why?" She asked, smiling and turning her head back to see him. "It stopped raining!"

He heard it again, but now it was closer, much closer. He had to move before she moved outside, or else… he reached forward from his spot, wrapping his arm fully around her waist, forcing her backwards and up against the tree.

"Sasuke, what are you - ?!" Confused, with her blue eyes wide, she stared up at him as he nearly sat on top of her.

Second later, she got her answer.

A huge tree branch crash-landed right in front of their exit and if Kirei was still looking there, she would've been crushed. Otherwise, dead.

"You alright?" Sasuke asked, still guarding her.

Heart racing, she sighed, trying to calm down. "Y-yeah…I th-think so." She blinked a few times, eyes adjusting to the darkness.

"Good. I think Naruto might kill me if I let something happen to you." He said, moving back to his original spot beside her.

She chuckled, still trying to get her heart to slow down. "He just _**might**_…but what are we going to do? We're stuck."

He sighed first, looking at the branch. "I could get us out of here," He mumbled, thinking about using the Chidori to just rip through the branch. It was a sure way out, but also endangered Kirei. "But that's not the best plan of action."

She sighed again, trying to keep her calm. "Should we call Naruto?"

"Yeah." He nodded, pulling out his phone. The light was enough to make somewhat of a difference in the trunk. "Hey, Naruto…Plans have…_**changed**_."

"What?" Naruto asked back, still knowing that Kirei was safe. "What happened?"

"We had a tree branch fall over our exit. We're stuck." He explained.

A hint of worry came over the line. "But you're _**okay**_?"

"Yeah, we're both fine."

He sighed. "Well, we have a few options. We can search through the night to find you guys and get you out, or we can wait until morning and get you out."

Sasuke thought it over. He _**really**_ didn't want to wait until morning…but without someone like Neji, Karin or Kiba who could track people, it would be hard to find them. After all, Sasuke only found Kirei because she _**called**_ to him. "We'll wait."

"Just keep her safe, okay? I already lost her brother, I don't need to lose her either." Naruto told him in a soft voice. "Don't go asking about her brother either. He's a very touchy subject."

"You got it." If one could understand the subject of brother and anything touchy, it was Sasuke. His past was very touchy as well.

Hanging up after goodbye, Kirei couldn't help but ask. "So what's going on? Are they coming to get us?"

"In the morning, yes. It's too dark for them now, but they'll come for us." He assured, putting his phone away.

Kirei knew she was in good hands, but she couldn't help but worry. After all, she really didn't _**know**_ Sasuke. All she knew was that he was best friends with her cousin. "…Okay."

He could sense her worry. "You'll be fine, Kirei. I'm right here with you." With his words, he felt her move closer to him. "You go ahead and go to sleep, I'll stay up."

She sighed, gently setting her head on his shoulder, somewhat hesitant to. She wasn't sure if he'd let her, but he didn't move at all. Actually, he relaxed, which caused her to relax. "Okay then…" She sighed, closing her eyes. "You're a lot nicer than I thought you were."

He smiled, sighing as well.

It was nice to have company for a night.

* * *

"Kirei, wake up."

Comfortable…warm…and in La-la-land, Kirei did _**not**_ want to wake up.

Again she was nudged awake. "Come on, Naruto's here to get us out."

Sasuke's voice.

She sighed before finally waking up. "I'm up…sleepy, but up…" She removed herself from Sasuke's shoulder, finding the darkness had become very light.

A head of spiky blonde hair filled part of the opening. "Hey, you're both alive!!" He cried, helping his cousin out first.

Sasuke followed, seeing a few Anbu jump off until it was just the three of them. "Yeah, we're alive."

Kirei had her eyes closed, still sleepy. She felt Naruto kiss her forehead and wrap and arm around her shoulder. "I'm awake, I'm awake." She mumbled, leaning against him.

He just laughed, holding onto her. "Alright, let's go home."

Sasuke walked with the two for the time being, talking with Naruto until they had to go their separate ways, being that their houses were nearly on opposite sides of Konoha.

"She was okay then?" Naruto asked, knowing that Kirei was sleeping while she walked. She wouldn't remember the conversation anyway.

Sasuke nodded, "Yeah. I could tell she was a little worried, but she was fine."

"Thanks for staying with her…I didn't think you would for a minute there." He said. Sasuke wasn't the emo bastard that he was in the show, but he wasn't generous for no reason. He figured that he stayed with Kirei just because the two of them were friends.

"It's no problem….I figured you'd both appreciate it." He answered.

"I did." Naruto nodded. "I can't always be there for her, like her brother was."

Sasuke knew better not to ask, but he did anyway. "What happened to him?"

He sighed, looking at Kirei. "He died about a year ago…shame of it was, it was all an accident."

Sasuke figured it was better not to ask details. If he lost his brother, he wasn't sure what he would do, being that they were the last two of the Uchiha clan. "That's why she came here?"

Naruto nodded. "Yep. She could've easily lived on her own, but we didn't want her to. For right now she's living with us, but that's not going to last long." He glanced over and at the look from Sasuke, continued. "She gets in fights with the head maid."

"Nami?" Sasuke asked, remembering the head maid who practically raised Naruto after his mother died.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah…they have…_**different**_ views…and just like me," He smiled, looking at Kirei. "She's the most stubborn thing, so she'll just run out. That's why my dad's fixing up that loft we have."

Sasuke remembered the loft, being there a few times to spend the night or just to hang out. "It's a good idea."

Before the two knew it, their separation point came up. Naruto and Kirei were heading right, Sasuke left.

"We'll see ya tomorrow?" Naruto mused, already knowing the answer.

Sasuke just smirked, knowing that Naruto already know the answer. "No shit, we're filming tomorrow."

"See ya later."

Sasuke nodded. "Later."

* * *

A few minutes after parting ways, Kirei began to wake up, blinking her blue eyes to adjust.

"Good morning, _**sleepyhead**_." Naruto smiled, tousling her hair, waking her up further.

She smiled. "Shut up, I was sleepy." Then it occurred to her. Where was Sasuke?

Seeing her look around them, he figured she was wondering where Sasuke went to. "He's on his way home."

Kirei looked up at him. "But I still have his jacket…" She pulled the still very warm jacket from her shoulders.

Naruto stopped, turning toward their separation point. "Well, he couldn't of gotten far, just go right up to the three-way and head right."

"Thanks, Nii-san!" She yelled, running down the way. "I'll be _**right**_ back!"

It wasn't long until she saw the head of black spiky hair, slowly moving along. She didn't call out his name, knowing if she did, she might draw attention to the two and if anyone knew anything about the Uchiha, it was that they did _**not**_ crave attention. The less they got, the happier they were.

So, when she finally reached him, she simply tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey,"

He stopped and turned, recognizing the voice. Eyes landing on her, he asked, "Didn't I just see you?"

She giggled. "Yeah, I know, but I kinda just woke up and realized I still had your jacket." She held said jacket in her hands, holding it out for him.

He shook his head. "Keep it, just in case you get stuck in a tree again."

She laughed. "I don't think I'll be getting stuck in a tree again for a while. But you're _**sure**_ you want to give away your jacket?"

"I'm sure."

Sasuke watched with interest as the girl he barely knew turned and looked behind her, then on both sides. What was she looking for? "Oh god, if he saw me, he'd _**kill**_ me…" She mumbled.

"What are – " Sasuke found himself speechless as Kirei reached up, very gently kissing him on the cheek.

"Thanks, Sasuke!!" Before he could blink, too shocked to, she ran off, back down toward her cousin.

The first thing through Sasuke's mind was to _**not**_ stand like an idiot in the middle of the street and head back home. The second was why was he so shocked? He'd had a girlfriend before and they kissed…So why did _**this**_ unnerve him? Maybe because it was a girl he barely knew and for the fact that her cousin would kill him if he found out. Yes, that was the reason.

Arriving home in a few minutes, he walked in, silent as always.

"Welcome home, it's about _**time**_." His older brother, Itachi, said as he sat at the kitchen table, a hot cup of coffee in his mug. Another raven like Sasuke, he was the elder of the depleted Uchiha clan.

"Sorry, I got held up." Sasuke replied, pouring himself a mug.

Itachi raised an eyebrow. Sasuke _**never**_ apologized. For _**anything**_. "What happened?"

"What?"

Itachi smirked. "Something happened last night. Did you get laid?"

Even with this question, Sasuke remained his calm, just raising an eyebrow. "No, of course not. I haven't had a girlfriend since I dated Sakura."

"Well," Itachi said, still smirking. "_**Something**_ happened. Just tell me."

Sighing, he wondered why his brother was such a pest. "Fine. Naruto's cousin's in town for the rest of her life. She went missing, I found her and we got stuck inside a tree trunk." Sasuke explained, right after taking a sip. At least this might keep him awake.

Itachi smiled. "And _**that's**_ when you got laid?"

Sasuke sighed. Did Itachi ever think about something _**other**_ than getting laid? "No, dumbass, she's not like that. I gave her my jacket last night to keep her warm and she went to return it this morning, but I told her to keep it."

That wasn't all that strange. Sasuke had done it before. "Go on."

"And well…" He said indifferently. "She kissed me in return." He took another sip.

Getting up, Itachi smirked. "So _**that's**_ what's up with you this morning."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow at him.

"You like her, stupid." Itachi said, not needing to know said girl to know that Sasuke liked her. He knew his brother his whole life, so if _**anyone**_ could read Sasuke, it was Itachi.

Sasuke grimaced. "I don't, first off. Second off, I'm not allowed to."

"That's a shame," Itachi said, beginning to walk out of the room. "You'd be much less emo if you got laid more." Before Sasuke could get a retort in, he vanished.

Sasuke just sighed.

* * *

Walking past the huge office, Kirei doubled back, swearing she heard something. Poking her head in to find Naruto and Uncle Yondy, she asked, "Did I hear someone say _**Suna**_?"

Sitting with his back toward her, Naruto turned to her. "Yeah, we're heading there to film in a few days."

"We're just finalizing everything." Uncle Yondy finished. Seeing the excited look on her face he asked, "Would you like to go to?"

She gasped, bouncing in the room and sitting with them. "_**Yeah**_! I can't wait to see Gaara again!!"

Both looked at her, confused.

"How do you know Gaara?" Naruto asked, remembering the redhead Kazekage and how it was hard for him to make friends.

Kirei smiled. "I met him on my travels, showed him a picture of us," She motioned to herself and Naruto. "As kids and explained that we were cousins and he let me stay there for a few days. I told him I'd be back someday." She explained.

The Yondaime laughed. He should've known that if Naruto was friends with Gaara, Kirei would be too. "Okay then…I'll add your name to the transcripts and you guys'll head out in three days."

"_**YES**_!!" She cried, jumping up from her seat, hugging her cousin first, then her Uncle. "Oh, my god, I'm so excited! I _**swear**_ I won't get in the way or anything and I'll do whatever you tell me to! I'm gonna go pack!" She screamed, eyes alive with color, smiling broadly as she ran out of the room, heading to her room to pack.

The two simply laughed.

"I'm not sure she heard the "leaving in three days" part." Yondaime said, scribbling on the transcripts.

Naruto smiled. "I'm not sure she cares."


	3. Suna

* * *

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. xD

_Notes/Warnings: _None this chapter. As a note, yes this story has an OC. Yes, it has Yaoi (Later on). Yes, the OC is related to someone on the show.

_**DEAL**_.

If you don't like it, don't read or review. Just hit the button that says, "Back" Or the little backspace key on your keyboard.

Thank you, all of you, who have read and love my stories. I hope you enjoy this one just like my others!

* * *

_Chapter 3 – Suna_

* * *

Arriving at the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, the cast and crew stopped, meeting three very familiar people.

The Sabaku Trio.

Riding on Akamaru to make the trip easier, Kirei's eyes lit up, seeing the three. Her smile broad, she couldn't wait until she got down. She _**would**_ jump, but Akamaru was a large dog and she didn't want to get hurt, so she waited, impatiently, as Kiba landed right after Akamaru.

He set his bag down first, walking over to her. "Excited, are we?" He asked, helping her down.

"_**YES**_! I haven't seen Gaara in a long time." She said, watching as Naruto and the director walked over to the trio.

He tilted his head. "You know Gaara?"

She nodded. "Yep. I met him on my travels, and just like you and me, we're good friends." She explained, setting her bag down.

Over the three days they filmed, waiting to go to Suna, Kiba and Kirei became good friends, talking about everything from the city to the video games they played.

Grinning, Kiba laced his arm around her shoulders and said, "Well, why don't you go over and see him?"

Watching him, she replied, " I want to wait until he's done talking to the director. I have a _**special**_ way of greeting good friends." She still watched, a devious smile on her face.

"Aw, you don't greet _**me**_ anyway special!!" He whined, playing around with her.

Pulling out from under his arm, she poked his nose. "But I've seen you every day, I haven't seen Gaara in about a year."

"Good point."

Turning to see the trio again, she found them still talking. She sighed. "Why can't they be _**done**_…?" She mumbled, looking around to keep her attention.

Kiba and Akamaru were already accounted for, being right next to Kirei, but who else was here with them? She already knew the cast was there, along with Itachi, Hidan and Kakuzu of Akatsuki. Many of the crew were missing, probably to shorten the load that already came with the cast.

She noticed most of the crew and cast mingling, waiting to getting going, but who caught her eye most were Neji and Raiha, standing together, laughing and talking. This renewed the suspicion that they were dating. Kirei had already become friends with Raiha and asked her a few times what was going on between her and Neji, but Raiha always told her they were just good friends.

Kirei wasn't sure to believe her just _**yet**_.

While she was looking, Shino and Hinata had walked up to them and had started talking with Kiba.

"…seems unusually active." She heard Shino say.

Hinata seemed cautious as well. "We should try to be extra careful then."

All this did not matter to Kirei.

Finally, Gaara was done talking to Naruto and the director.

* * *

Gaara knew it was coming. It was inevitable.

"_**GAARA!!**_"

And just like that, he was glomped. He sighed, patting the female's back. "Nice to see you again, Kirei."

She squeezed him. "I missed you, Gaara!"

Everyone else watched the spectacle with amusement.

Gaara couldn't help but smile, or at least have some sort of smile on his face. He may not have shown it, but he did miss her, along with the others who accompanied her. "I can tell."

Kirei let him go, stepping back. "Well, I don't know many people here other than Naruto and Kiba…So it's nice to have a friend among "friends"."

He nodded, knowing what she meant.

She glanced behind the tall redhead, seeing a large, dark forest guarding their way to Suna. She thought it strange, since she'd been to Suna once before and she'd never seen this forest.

When Naruto came up beside her, he saw her confusion. "It's what we call 'Monster Forest'."

"_**Monster**_…Forest?" She asked, still confused.

He nodded. "Yeah, when we travel to Suna we take the quickest way, which is through this forest. Recently, giant bugs and other monsters have inhabited the forest so now, we have Gaara take us over top of it, using his sand." He explained. "And since you're with us, you'll be up in the front with me, okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, that's fine." Thinking it was just going to be the three of them, she was surprised to find Sasuke walking up to them, also holding a bag.

Kiba also walked up, Akamaru in tow. "So, who's going with who?" He asked, his intent on having Kirei go with him.

Naruto knew this. "We're having everyone try to stay with their team, except for Nee-chan. She's going with me." He explained. "Sakura's gonna head up with Hebi."

Kiba seemed disappointed, sighing. "Alright then, we're ready when you guys are." He headed back to his team, Akamaru licking Kirei before heading off.

Watching Kiba, Sasuke wondered if he liked Kirei. The two had gotten strangely close in a small about of time. "Ready?" He asked, looking over Kirei to Gaara and Naruto.

"Yes." Gaara nodded, cracking his fingers.

Naruto, slipping his hand around Kirei's waist, ready to jump up on the forming sand cloud, turned his head toward the others. "Guys, we're ready!"

Even with the threat of monsters, Kirei was strangely excited.

It was just the four of them seated on the sand cloud, slowly making their way over the forest. Kirei was in the middle, Naruto on her right, Sasuke to her left and Gaara on the far right.

At the moment, Kirei was playing rock, paper, scissors with Naruto, unable to talk to Gaara, since it might ruin his concentration and drop the whole group inside the forest. So far, she'd won 3-2.

Bored, Sasuke just watched the two. Seeing them now, he could tell the differences and yet see the similarities.

But something else soon caught his attention. Something below them was moving, rustling the branches below. He looked to the other two nin with him; Gaara too busy concentrating, which he wouldn't bug him, but Naruto was just playing a game. "_**Naruto**_…" He whispered, still keeping his eyes on the forest below.

Both Naruto and Kirei looked at him.

"Yeah?" He said, voice the same volume, eyes trailing Sasuke's to the spot below. He also saw it move, reaching his hand across Kirei, keeping her back.

Sasuke didn't say anything more, already knowing Naruto had seen it. Plus, he didn't want to upset Kirei, who already was watching the spot with unnaturally wide eyes.

"…N-Nii-san?" She mumbled.

His blue eyes connected with hers for only a second. "_**Stay**_ _**back**_." He commanded in a soft tone, pulling a kunai out with his opposite hand.

She nodded, eyes alert.

As the three watched, the rustling stopped…but the shouting started.

The shouts were coming from behind them and when the three looked, their eyes traveled up the body of a very long giant centipede. It reared back and hacked up a dark green substance.

_**Acid.**_

"Look out!!" The call coming from a frantic Kiba, who watched from behind.

Naruto and Sasuke barely had time to move before it launched the acid in the center of the cloud, right toward Kirei.

Fortunately for all of them, Sasuke moved before his brain told him to move, pushing Kirei down to protect her, nearly lying on top of her. When his mind caught up with him, he found very thankful blue eyes staring back at him.

Then the shit hit the fan.

Gaara lost his concentration, the cloud below the four disrupting as he looked at the giant centipede spitting acid at them. He and Naruto were able to jump off, sustaining themselves until the cloud reformed.

Sasuke and Kirei were not so lucky. In the position they were, all they could do was fall into the depths of the forest.

Holding onto Sasuke because he was the closest thing to her, she resisted screaming because she was afraid to make Sasuke deaf. But that didn't mean she didn't hold onto him as tightly as she could, arms around his neck.

It was one thing Sasuke didn't anticipate today.

* * *

When Sasuke woke up, he was face up on the ground. Blinking to get his eyes to focus, the previous events hit him like a train.

He sat up immediately, remembering where he was and who was with him. "Kirei?" Looking around him, he felt a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

The feeling lasted only a moment longer when he looked up. In a tree only a few feet from him was Kirei, still knocked out, her weight supported by three branches, one at neck, one at her lower back and the other at her knees.

He sighed. "At least she's okay…" He said, getting up and assuming she was fine. The only thing was, if she woke up and began to move, she was liable to fall and falling from that height could break a few bones. He didn't fail to notice the centipede either, sitting above her. Hoping to God she didn't wake up, he moved closer.

With timing unlike her cousin, she began to wake up slowly. "_**Oooowwww**_…" Her eyes did the same as his, blinking to focus from the fall. What she saw she did not like and nearly screamed.

The centipede from earlier was hunched on the branch above her, staring directly at her.

"Don't move, Kirei, don't even scream." Sasuke told in her in the softest voice, pulling out a few shuriken and kunai.

She gulped, not tearing her eyes away for a second. All she wanted to do was to get down and get down _**fast**_.

The centipede gurgled as it's antenna swished back and forth and it moved closer to Kirei. It seemed that it was just sniffing her. At least until it opened its jaws and hissed at her.

Kirei couldn't breathe, too scared to even think, wanting to scream so bad.

Sasuke could also see this, but he had to wait for the best moment. He had to hit the centipede in its small brain or else it would go after him and cause the branches to break and potentially break Kirei's neck.

That was not something Sasuke wanted to explain to his best friend. And so, he waited and waited, watching it inch closer and closer to her, her eyes getting larger with each inch.

Only a second more…

With a skilled flick of the wrist, the kunai landed squarely into the centipede's brain, the shuriken pinning it to the trunk of the tree.

Kirei sighed the biggest sigh of her life, eyes closing and opening again. Now she just had to find a way down.

"You alright?" Sasuke called, coming up to the spot where she would land if she fell.

Shakily, she replied. "Y-yeah, I'm okay."

"Don't move or else you might cause one of the branches to break and I'm not sure you want to fall." He told her, thinking of a possible way to get her down without either of them getting hurt.

"Not real – " Her voice stopped dead when one of the three branches cracked.

"Seriously," Sasuke said seeing the deep crack in the branch supporting her back. "Don't move at _**all**_."

She growled. "That's _**easy**_ for you to sa – " Another crack from a separate branch, all three of them giving out to the pressure on top of them, sending Kirei and those branches right toward the ground.

Hitting the ground faster than he expected, she lurched forward feeling a splintering pain in her calf. The scream she wanted to scream earlier made a few birds in the area fly away.

Sasuke winced at first from the scream, but went over to her, seeing her calf nearly split in two. He sighed at the bad situation.

In the forest of monsters, you did _**not**_ want to be bleeding.

"Listen to me, Kirei," He said calmly, removing her hands from her bleeding left leg trying to make eye contact with her. "You're gonna be fine, but I need you to stay _**calm**_."

Eyes squeezed shut while releasing tears, she cried, "But it hurts!"

Ripping her jeans to get a better view of the wound, he looked at her to find teary blue eyes looking back at him. "I know it does," He really wished he knew her better. It was hard to consol her without knowing what she liked _**to**_ consol her. "But you've _**got**_ to stay calm."

For now, he couldn't stop the bleeding, even though the cut wasn't that big. So he took the part of her jeans he ripped, tightening it around her leg and making it into a makeshift bandage.

Her crying had slowed as she watched him work, but she still whimpered.

Sighing, Sasuke looked around them. They had to get out soon, or else more "monsters" would be coming after Kirei. When he looked back at her, she was looking at him.

She looked as scared as ever.

"Don't worry." He said, tousling her hair just like Naruto did, figuring it would help to calm her down. "I'm gonna get us out of here."

Shaking slightly, she attempted at a smile. "I know."

He wasn't sure why, but he smiled back. "Can you stand?" He stood up, holding his hand out for hers.

With both hands she took his, pulling herself up, keeping her left leg hanging. "I think I'll be fi – " She tried to set her foot down, but winced and pulled it back to its hanging position.

Sasuke took that as a no. He sighed. "I'll carry you, then."

She let go of his hands, able to balance on her right foot. "I can travel, for the most part."

"_**How**_?"

"Like Kiba does," She smiled, thinking of the brunette. "on four legs, only I'll have three."

He narrowed his eyes, not knowing if he could trust her on that, but she was Naruto's cousin and she had trusted him _**this**_ far. Why couldn't he trust her? "And you can tree hop?"

Tilting her head, she asked, "Tree hop? What are you talking about?"

He sighed. It was going to be a long two days to Suna. "Nevermind. It's gonna take two days to get to Suna, so…"

She scrunched her nose. "I guess I should let you do the traveling then."

He nodded. "It'll be faster that way."

"And we'll get out of here a _**hell**_ of a lot sooner. Sounds good to me!" She added, clapping her hands together.

He chuckled, watching her hop over to him on one foot. "Just make sure you don't fall asleep on me." He paused, picking her up piggyback style. "_**Again**_."

Giggling, she laced her arms around his neck, blowing some of his hair out of her face. "I won't. I'm too nervous to sleep."

He jumped off, going from branch to branch. He felt Kirei sigh and glanced back at her.

She saw this. "What? I'm fine. Actually, you're quite comfy."

Sasuke wasn't sure how to reply. He'd never been called "comfy" before. "…Thanks?"

"You're welcome." She replied with a giggle.

At least they got along, or else, it'd be one hell of a trip.

* * *

"We should be okay here." Sasuke said, dropping to the ground from the treetops.

Kirei, whom he'd just set down, was astounded. "How can you see?! It's _**pitch**_ black!" She blinked to try to see, but the darkness of her closed eyes was the same as when her eyes were open.

Gathering up a few fallen branches for a fire, he replied, "The Sharingan. It allows us to see in the dark for a limited amount of time."

"Lucky." She heard his clattering around, but unable to see, wondered. "What exactly are you – " She shrieked, jumping when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Calm down, I'm making a fire so we can see." He answered, throwing the wood in front of her.

Kirei watched as Sasuke used the trademark Fireball of the Uchiha clan to light the wood and bring light to the small opening. "…You ninja are _**so**_ awesome."

He chuckled, walking to the opposite side of the fire and sitting down. "You've never really seen a ninja in action, have you?"

She shook her head, watching the fire dance in front of her. "Nope. Only had the pleasure of being _**related**_ to ninja."

Watching her stare into the fire, he was going to ask about her brother, if he was a ninja, but remembered what Naruto told him.

With nothing to talk about, it fell oddly silent.

She sighed a deep sigh. "Jeez, even the _**crickets**_ are silent…" She mumbled, looking up to find tree leaves in her view.

Sitting across from her, Sasuke wasn't sure how to strike up a conversation. He never really had to talk to people, favoring to let Naruto do all the talking. But as of the moment, Naruto wasn't here to do all the talking and Sasuke _**wasn't**_ Kiba. "…" He sighed. Talking to people was harder than he thought. "You're quiet for a Namikaze."

Looking at him again, she replied, "Well, I'm only _**half**_ Namikaze. Plus, if you get me started on something I absolutely love, your ears will melt off. Guaranteed."

He smiled, finally finding a way to get some conversation going. "Really? What happens if they don't? I have a high tolerance, hearing Naruto _**all**_ day."

She laughed. "Yeah…he's the talker who won't stop. But let's see…if they don't? Well…" She was silent, but smiling. "I'm not sure. I've never met someone who could tolerate it."

"Once you can tolerate Naruto, you can tolerate _**anything**_." He answered, seeing the fire dance on her blue eyes. Thinking about it, she had really pretty, delicate, deep blue eyes… Sasuke shook his head. He wasn't supposed to think stuff like that…especially about _**her**_.

"Very, very true." She answered. "He's a handful, but we all are."

He scoffed, a bit of a laugh somewhere in there. "I can tell." When he looked at her, he found something strange with Kirei. She seemed a little bit…_**sad**_? He wasn't sure. "But being on missions with the dobe has allowed me to do one thing I'm not sure the others have been able to do yet."

"And what's that?" She asked, sighing deeply.

Sasuke decided to toy around a bit, if she didn't know. "Oh, you don't know?" He asked playfully.

She smiled a bit. "No, I don't. Why don't you of the _**Great**_ Uchiha enlighten me?"

Well, that's once difference. "I can tell the difference between you two."

She seemed surprised.

"Yeah, when we first meet, I figured you were just a carbon copy of him – "

"Like _**everyone**_ does." She cut in.

He nodded. "But I noticed that there were some differences."

She seemed a little hopeful, looking squarely at him.

Noticing the almost smile on her face, he went on. "Yeah…for one, you're much better at comebacks."

She giggled, "I always have been."

"You're a little calmer too…not as loud as he is." It was true. He noticed it the first day she was at filming.

She had a book with her, which may have been the cause of her silence, but she would scribble in it, look up and scribble in it – at least, when Kiba, Naruto or Hinata weren't around. If they were, she'd be talking up a storm.

She giggled again, her smile becoming wider. "I need my quiet time too."

Sasuke felt a little weird. He wasn't mad or anything…he actually felt kinda happy. But he was only _**talking**_ to her…it wasn't anything different than talking with Naruto…so why did it feel different?

Bringing him from his thoughts was a very loud grumble and from this he grabbed his kunai, looking out beyond the light of the fire.

"It's okay, Sasuke," Kirei began, laughing. "It's my stomach."

Sasuke put the kunai away, feeling slightly embarrassed. It was bad when he couldn't differentiate between a bugs grumble from a stomach grumble. That _**also**_ meant that she was hungry…and neither of them had food with them…

Seeing the look of regret on his face, she continued. "Sasuke,"

He looked back at her.

"I'm _**always**_ hungry. I've gotten used to not eating more than I should, but it seems," She looked down at her tummy, poking it. "You haven't gotten used to being _**silent**_."

"That's one thing you have in common with Naruto. You both talk to inanimate objects." He smirked.

She smirked back. Sasuke wasn't as quiet as she thought and he was good at insulting people in a good way. She was too. "At least they don't talk back."

"What's the fun in that? You can't pick fights then."

She chuckled. "That means you win no matter what."

"…" She had him there.

Giggling because she knew she won the "argument", she looked up at what would be the night sky. "I wonder what time it is..." She thought out loud, feeling tired. She wasn't sure why, being that she didn't do much during the day, figuring it was partly from blood loss.

"Probably late. We've been traveling for a while…and with you still losing blood, you should try to get some sleep." He told her, figuring she wasn't losing as much blood as before, but still some blood.

"Are you sure?" Kirei asked back. "I mean, I already cost you _**one**_ night's sleep…"

"No, it's fine. Someone's gotta keep the fire up and I'm used to staying awake." He said, pointing at the fire.

She smiled, shrugging her shoulders a bit. "Okay then." Without using her left leg to spare it the pain, she proceeded to crawl around the fire and over to Sasuke, who sat up against a tree.

He watched in amusement, wondering what on _**earth**_ she could be doing. He decided to wait and see what she was doing before asking.

Stopping and sitting beside him, she grabbed his hand and pulled it up off the ground, sitting herself in the crook of his arm, pulling the arm she had around her, his hand in her lap. She snuggled against him until comfortable, both her hands with his one, head resting on his shoulder. She sighed in content.

Sasuke on the other hand was a little…surprised. He'd never had someone he barely knew come up and sleep on him. Trying not to sound mad, he looked down at the girl who now rested against him. "Kirei, what you're doing?"

"Sleeping." She replied, fiddling with his fingers. His hand, hell, _**he**_ was much warmer than she was, even with the fire. "You said I could."

She was right, in a sense. He _**did**_ say she could sleep, but not on him. Although…it wasn't like she was a nuisance…she just kinda fit there. He sighed.

"Plus," She began softly. "If you were to fall asleep or run out of wood, the fire would go out and then the bugs would come back…"

Sasuke couldn't help but smile, realizing she was scared of sleeping alone in a strange place. He had to admit, it was kinda cute the way she did things. So, he tightened his grip around her, pulling her a little bit closer. "If you tell anyone, I'll _**murder**_ you."

She giggled softly. "You wouldn't _**dare**_. Naruto would beat you to the moon and back."

He laughed, gripping her fingers. "Shut up and go to sleep."

She smiled and closed her eyes, feeling very safe.

Another night of company.

Sasuke was starting to like it.

* * *

Sighing a very deep sigh before waking, Sasuke wondered why he couldn't take as deep a breath as usual.

When the events of the previous night hit him and he felt the small warm hands in his, he smiled. Kirei was with him, still sleeping.

Although…why could he hear her breathing? Especially through her mouth…

Suspicion breaching Sasuke's mind, he used his opposite hand to brush away the bangs that covered her left eye, feeling her forehead. _**That's**_ why she was so warm.

Kirei had a high fever.

When Sasuke looked at the makeshift bandage that covered her wound, he grimaced. A small centipede had wrapped itself around her leg, sniffing at the blood soaked bandage. "Shit…" He cursed, removing the small centipede and throwing it into the nearest bush. "I _**knew**_ I should've changed that…" He slipped out from under her gently, leaning her up against the tree, her head rolling to the side.

"Kirei, wake up." He tapped her cheek, trying to wake her without sounding alarmed.

He noticed the small movement of her eyes and watched as they barely opened, the usual deep blue color drained from them. She spoke softly, taking deep breaths to answer. "…I feel…_**really**_ hot…"

He removed the bandage on her leg, discarding it, throwing it as far away from them as he could. "I know, Kirei …But you've gotta stay awake for me, okay?" He asked, trying to keep what little eye contact they had.

She nodded, eyes closing, head rolling to the side again. "Uh…huh…"

Ripping another section of her jeans, he made another bandage, tying it tighter than before to stop the blood flow. "Stay _**awake**_, Kirei." He told her, seeing her eyes flutter, but close again.

"But I'm so sleepy…" She made no sound, but flinched when he pulled the bandage tight.

Sasuke sighed a bit. She still reacted to pain, which meant she hadn't lost too much blood. Yet. The fever told him that she was starting to get an infection and if went untreated she _**would**_ die.

Sasuke wouldn't let that happen. Slipping his hands underneath her knees and back, he picked her up, jumping off as fast as he could. He had to make sure he had a good grip on her, she unable to support herself.

For once in his life, Sasuke had begun to make a friend on his own. It was different with Naruto because _**Naruto**_ was the one who started the conversation between them, but with Kirei, _**he**_ was the one who started the conversation, becoming friends with her. It meant a lot to Sasuke because he was normally the quiet one.

So now, with her life in the balance, Sasuke swore he wouldn't let her die.

* * *

"I'm so sorry, nee-chan…" Naruto mumbled, sitting next to the bed Kirei laid on.

Nearly a day ago Sasuke had arrived at the hospital with Kirei, who was immediately admitted. She was in the best condition someone could be in considering what had happened and where it had happened.

Which really meant her condition wasn't good at _**all**_.

"I should've been right there with you." He continued, massaging her hand while the ventilation machine hummed softly, breathing for her.

* * *

Outside the room, Sasuke leaned against the wall, the few cuts he sustained already treated. Sakura, Hinata, Gaara and Kiba were with him.

"He's been there all day." Sakura began, coming back from looking into the window of the door. Naruto hadn't moved at _**all**_.

Hinata sighed in worry. "I tried to get him to eat or sleep or something, but he wouldn't budge." Feeling like she wanted to cry, she latched onto Kiba for support.

Kiba patted his teammate's back, knowing how much it was taking a toll on her.

"I'm not that surprised." Gaara stated, standing with his arms crossed. "It's obvious she means a lot to him, so her coming back hurt like this isn't good for him. Right now, she's the only one who can get him to calm down." He knew this to be true because nearly the same thing happened to Temari a few years ago.

For Sasuke, that wasn't all true. He was always able to knock some sense into the blonde and hearing that the blonde hadn't eaten or slept unnerved him. He already had one friend in critical condition, he didn't need two. "You guys go ahead and head back, I'll deal with him." He sighed, getting up from the wall and walking toward the door.

The others obeyed, knowing Sasuke would keep to his word.

Naruto didn't even look up when Sasuke entered the room. He was too focused, mumbling something, holding Kirei's hand. His focus broke only when Sasuke's hand found his shoulder.

"Go home, dobe. Get something to eat, get some sleep."

Naruto looked at Kirei, eyes red. "But what if she – "

"I'll stay with her. If she wakes up, I'll come get you." He answered, knowing the blonde's question. "You've got your girlfriend worried too. Go see her."

The blonde sighed, not wanting to leave her side, but Sasuke was right. He had to consol Hinata for his hysterical behavior and he was getting hungry. He stood up, still keeping her hand in his. "The _**minute**_ she wakes up, Sasuke."

Sasuke took his seat. "Of course."

Naruto vanished in a poof of smoke.

For the first time that day, Sasuke got to see Kirei. He'd been in another room down the hall, unable to get passed the nurses that roamed the Hospital like sharks.

It wasn't horrible to see her with the breathing mask on, IVs in her arm, heart monitor pulsing with every beat of her heart. At least she was alive.

* * *

Sasuke was there for a few hours, bored out of his mind within the first 5 minutes.

Eyes traveling to Kirei, he contemplated on holding her hand. Naruto was holding her hand for the whole day, probably…and now she was sleeping…so, she wouldn't remember it if he did.

He reached his hand out, only to pull it back, sighing. "Why am I doing this…?" He asked quietly, eyes on the floor but drifting back to the hand on the bed.

It was _**just**_ a hand, her hand, so why was Sasuke freaking out?

He sighed, gathering up his courage and reached out for her hand, feeling the coldness of her fingers and the warmth of her palm.

As he did, her fingers gently moved, trying to figure out what it was that they felt. He looked up at her, seeing those same blue eyes half-lidded, looking around the room.

When they met with his eyes, he could see a smile form on her lips. She tried to pull herself up, somewhat succeeding.

"Lie back down. The bed comes up." Sasuke said, pressing a small blue button that pushed back of the bed up, bringing Kirei to a sitting position.

Sitting up, she felt a little dizzy, but nevertheless tried to remove the oxygen mask to speak.

Sasuke chuckled softly, making her keep it on. "You're just as bad as Naruto. He's always trying to get out too."

She giggled, picking up her hand and motioning for a pencil and paper. If he wasn't going to allow her to speak, she _**had**_ to find a way to communicate.

She watched him get up and rummage through the drawers of a small medicine cabinet in the room, finding a pen and small pad of paper. Sasuke tested the pen before handing both objects to her.

She squealed when she got it, making Sasuke raise an eyebrow, but just chuckle when he saw her immediately scribble something down.

Sitting back down in the seat, he found the pad lying on the bed, waiting for him to read it. "Jeez, excited, aren't you?"

She nodded quickly. The note on it read in somewhat sloppy writing, "Thank you soo much!"

He shrugged, handing it back to her. "It's no big deal."

She scribbled again, making a dark mark on one of the words. "I _**have**_ to pay you back."

He shook his head. "No."

"_**Yes**_." She spoke, removing the mask enough for him to hear. "I will. You won't stop me."

"That's another thing. You're both stubborn." Sasuke watched as she smiled, giggling as well. When she started to cough harshly, he pulled the mask back over her mouth. "If you take that off again, I'm gonna have to hurt you."

She pouted at him first, quivering her lower lip, deep blue eyes very large.

Sasuke found himself speechless.

Giggling, she was about to write again, when her attention was caught by the door to the room opening. She squealed loudly when she saw who it was. "_**Kiba**_!!" Her muffled voice cried.

He shook off the shock of seeing her awake and smiled. "Hey, you're up."

She nodded, happy to see him.

"Sasuke, can I talk to you over here?" He asked, motioning the raven to the other side of the room.

The raven got up and walked over, wondering what the brunette could want. Kiba really never bothered to talk to Sasuke before, unless it was to argue – which resulted in the brunette losing – but he went anyway.

"I came here to tell you that Naruto's sleeping after about 13 bowls of ramen."

Sasuke chuckled, "I figured." Naruto always ate ramen. _**Always**_.

"Anyway," Kiba began again, his hands in his pockets. "I wanted to come down cause I wanted to see Kirei-chan…to ask her something…" His eyesight drifted over to her, who watched the two of them. "And I figured you're kinda tired, so if you wanna head home and sleep, I'll stay with her for the night."

Watching Kiba, he seemed kind of nervous, fidgeting somewhat. But, Sasuke could go home and sleep, something he'd like to do. With Kirei awake and fine, he could sleep without worrying about her. "Just make sure she keeps that mask on. If she takes it off, she'll start to cough and such…so make her keep it on." Sasuke told him.

Kiba nodded. "Thanks for the warning."

Sasuke walked back over to her, tousling her hair. "Be good."

She nodded, flinching when he vanished in smoke.

Kiba then proceeded to walk over, taking the chair that Sasuke had. "You doing alright?" He asked, eyeing the IVs and the heart monitor.

She nodded, still feeling a little warm. It was to be expected with a fever like hers.

"Ya know," Kiba started off, sighing heavily. "We were all really worried about you, when you and Sasuke took that fall into the forest. Naruto and I wanted to chase after you guys, but Gaara wouldn't let us."

She watched the brunette with much curiosity. What was he leading to?

"He said it was too dangerous for us and could attract too much attention and I'd die before I'd let something happen to you." He continued, not looking at her.

This made her even more curious.

"So, I wanna ask you a question…" He looked up at her, black eyes meeting with blue. "Would you…be my girlfriend?"

Kirei was silent. Before answering, she wanted to think. It was a big decision, saying yes or no. If she said yes, it would be the first boyfriend she'd had and what happens if it _**doesn't**_ work out? If she said no, it would be a very odd night in the hospital, plus, what would happen to their friendship?

Kiba knew she was thinking, but he _**had**_ to convince her. "I really, _**really**_ like you Kirei…and I could protect you better if you were my girlfriend, cause then I'd always be with you and then you wouldn't be in this kinda situation again…here in the hospital, I mean." He explained further, reaching out and grabbing her hand. Kiba brought up a very good point.

Removing the mask, like she did with Sasuke, she sighed. "Okay, Kiba…" She saw his eyes light up. "But…I've never really – "

Standing up, Kiba smiled, putting the mask back down and kissing her forehead, knowing what she was going to say. "That's okay. Now, go to sleep. It's late." He sat back down, hitting a small green button.

The bed lurched and Kirei found herself lying back down. She sighed, closing her eyes. It had been a very long day.

At least now she had her life, her friends and a boyfriend to boot.

* * *

The next morning only a few people knew about Kirei and Kiba.

Shino and Gaara knew before everyone else. They could tell by how the two acted before hand.

Hinata had heard from Kirei herself and passed it on to Sakura, which is how Sasuke found out.

Oddly enough, when he found out, he didn't feel all that happy. Of course, he was happy for her, but he thought it wasn't a good idea. Kiba wasn't always the _**best**_ with his girlfriends; after all, he'd hurt Hinata before Naruto was able to help her.

But someone made the mistake of telling Naruto.

Someone made the _**bigger**_ mistake of telling him Kiba was at the hospital.

When he found his way to Kirei's room, he was surprised to find no Kiba. Just the doctor and Kirei.

"…now, we're not going to give you a cast because there's no reason." The doctor told her as she sat on the end of the bed, a pair of crutches with her. "Your leg will be sore from the stitches, so make sure you keep them dry and don't brush them up against anything or the wound might open up again, alright?" He asked.

Kirei nodded. "Yes, doctor. Thanks for all you've done."

He smiled. "No problem." Leaving the room, he nearly ran over Naruto. "Sorry."

"'s no problem." Naruto replied, going over to Kirei as the doctor left. "Hey, nee-chan."

Smiling, she hugged him. "Hi, Nii-san. Did you come to see me out?"

"That and something _**else**_." He fidgeted for a second. "Are you going out with Kiba?"

Sighing, she looked away. She knew the question would come sooner or later. "Yeah…"

He set his hand on her head. "Listen, sweetie," He began, knowing he had told her that she wasn't really allowed to date one of his friends because she could end up getting hurt in more ways than one. "I know what I told you…"

She looked at him, blue eyes masking her wonder.

"But I can't _**make**_ you date someone, or _**choose**_ who you date. I told you because I don't want to see you hurt if they don't come back from a mission…or if they do things they shouldn't be doing, okay?"

"Yeah." She nodded, smiling.

"If something is going on, don't be afraid to come to me, you got that?"

She pulled her heels together, putting a stiff hand against her forehead. "Yes, General."

Smiling, he kissed her forehead. "At ease, soldier." He laughed when she nearly collapsed back on the bed, a smile on her face. "Now, I've got someone to see, so I'll see you later, alright nee-chan?"

"Go easy on him, Nii-san, _**I'm**_ the one who said yes." She replied, knowing her cousin all to well. He was going to find Kiba…and after that, who knew?

"I know."

As soon as the door shut behind Naruto, he ran into the one person he was looking for.

Kiba wanted to run as fast as he could in the opposite direction when he saw the blonde. He knew what Naruto could do when he was pissed. "Look, dude – "

Naruto grabbed him by the collar, shoving him into the wall right beside the door. "Don't you, "Look, dude," me. I fucking told you _**not**_ to ask her, _**not**_ to fall for her. I swear on my grave, if you hurt her in _**any**_ way possible I will break off both your legs as painfully as I can. She's the only cousin I have and I'll be damned if one of you assholes hurt her."

Wide eyed, Kiba choked out, "…Can you…put me back down?"

Growling, Naruto stepped back, setting Kiba back on his feet. "You're my friend, but family comes _**first**_."

Kiba nodded. "I know that. I know she's important to you, but she's important to _**me**_ too."

Suddenly, the door to the room began to open and quickly Naruto let Kiba go.

Kirei walked out on her crutches, surprised to find both of them there. "Hey there."

"Hi, babe." Kiba grinned, stepping over to her and kissing her on the cheek. "How're you feeling?"

"Good, very good." She replied. Lifting the one crutch, she said, "It's gonna be weird with these things, but I'll be fine." Seeing her cousin, she smiled. "How's it going, Nii-san?" She said, her true intent in wondering whether or not Naruto scared Kiba.

He smiled his trademark grin. "_**Great**_! What d'ya say we go get some ramen?"

Kirei narrowed her eyes with a smile. Naruto was acting like nothing had happened at all. "It's fine with me."

"Same here." Kiba added, knowing he had to do good by Naruto's standards. Or else harm would come to him.

The three headed off toward the Suna version of Ichiraku Ramen. Life was about to get very, _**very**_ good.


	4. Friendship

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. xD

_Notes/Warnings: _None this chapter. As a note, yes this story has an OC. Yes, it has Yaoi (Later on). Yes, the OC is related to someone on the show.

_**DEAL**_.

If you don't like it, don't read or review. Just hit the button that says, "Back" Or the little backspace key on your keyboard.

So, here's the next chapter. XD It's very long, but it's awesome. Poor Sasuke, awesome Itachi…just a lot of writing. I know the name is cheesy, but the rides are based off of rides from an amusement park near my hometown. And if anyone can name the scene from The Lion King, I'll give you a cookie. XD

Thank you, all of you, who have read and love my stories. I hope you enjoy this one just like my others!

* * *

_Chapter 4 - Friendship_

* * *

Itachi watched the group of Konoha ninja along with the Sabaku trio waited for the gates to open. He was also waiting, his friends arriving soon.

After 5 days of continuous filming, the director gave them the day off and coincidently, Suna's amusement park, Four Winds, was open. So guess where they were at the moment?

Four Winds, of course.

Itachi was excited for a few reasons; One, his two good friends Deidara and Sasori who lived in Suna were coming, and living in Konoha, Itachi didn't see them often.

Two, his brother might _**actually**_ have fun. After what happened with their family and between themselves, Sasuke never had been fully able to socialize with other people. Itachi couldn't really help, because he didn't remember what happened. Although, he was glad Naruto was able to become friends with Sasuke. He wasn't sure what would've happened if the two hadn't met.

Third, he wanted to meet the girl everyone had told him about and who Sasuke liked, even though he couldn't admit it. He knew she was here and he was going to meet her eventually.

"Come on, _**please**_?!" He heard a girl whine. "I really wanna meet him!"

Itachi looked in the direction of the voice, finding a girl who looked like Naruto dragging his brother along. At least she didn't wear the bright orange that he did, donning a black tank top on top of a white one and an old pair of jeans.

Sasuke looked as if he wanted to shoot himself. "…Fine…"

The blonde/brunette smiled at him, "Oh, come on, emo kid, he can't be _**that**_ bad!!" She mused, letting him string her along.

Itachi raised an eyebrow, a smirk forming at his lips. At least he wasn't the _**only**_ one who knew Sasuke was emo.

When Sasuke caught sight of his brother, leaning against a tree, he glared, trying to tell Itachi not to say something embarrassing or anything perverted. Unfortunately, Sasuke could only hope one of the two wouldn't be said.

"Well, well, look who's out in the sun." Itachi said as Sasuke walked up, the blonde in tow.

Sasuke glared at him. "Kirei, Itachi, Itachi, Kirei." He motioned between the two. "There. Can we go?"

Kirei pouted her best pout at him.

Itachi saw Sasuke's eye twitch. "Oh, come on, emo boy, I just met this pretty girl. I need to get to know her first." He smiled at her, extending his hand. "I've heard a lot about you."

Sasuke _**really**_ wanted to shoot himself.

"Oh really?" Kirei shot a glance to Sasuke. Knowing he wasn't about to answer, she smiled back, shaking hands with him. "Are you _**sure**_ you two are related?" She looked back between the two of them.

Itachi grabbed his brother, forcing him into a headlock and giving him a noogie. "Yes, yes, I am related to this Emo kid."

"Itachi!" Sasuke hissed, trying to get out of the headlock.

Kirei laughed as hard as she could.

"Itachi, let the kid go, uh. He's tortured enough to have to live with _**you**_, uh." Another, much blonder blonde said as he walked up, latched onto a tall redhead.

Kirei knew the voice immediately, gasping, blue eyes wide. "_**Deidara-sempai!!**_"

Turning, she found Deidara and Sasori staring back at her, also smiling. "Who're you, uh?"

"I believe this is Naruto's cousin, right?" The redhead, Sasori answered for her.

She nodded, too excited to speak. Deidara and Sasori were her favorite of the Akatsuki teams.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Itachi. Deidara wouldn't go out without his eyeliner." Sasori dragged his partner beyond Kirei, standing next to Itachi.

Itachi shook his head, Sasuke already away from him, fixing his hair. "It's no problem. I was just meeting Kirei-chan."

She smiled, hand running along the strings of her bag. She gasped. "Oh wait," She threw the bag over her shoulder, rummaging through it. The older raven, redhead and blonde watched her. "Found it!" Pulling it from her bag, she revealed a photo of the cast and a marker, most of it completely signed. "Can you guys _**please**_ sign this? I'm trying to get everyone to sign it."

"Yeah, no problem, uh." Deidara replied, the first one to sign it, using Sasori as his table. "You know, uh, you're kinda cute." He said, handing the photo to Sasori, who in turn used Deidara to sign it.

"You think so, Deidara-sempai?" She hoped she wouldn't say anything embarrassing. If she did, she was sure to die.

He nodded. "Yes, but – "

"He's _**mine**_, blondie." Sasori said, wrapping his arms around Deidara's waist.

Deidara didn't blush or fluster, obviously used to it. "Yep, I belong to Sasori-Danna."

Seeing the two, Kirei couldn't help but squeal. "Oh, you two are so _**cute**_!! That's why you're my favorite Akatsuki pair!!"

Deidara glanced at his redhead, then set his hand on her head. "Oh yes, uh. You're cute."

Sasori looked over at Sasuke, who stood a few steps from the group. "Don't loose this one, Sasuke."

Oh, _**why**_ didn't Sasuke bring a gun with him?

She giggled. "Sorry, I'm already taken, Sasori-Danna." Setting her photo back in her bag, she went over to Sasuke. "We're just friends. But I think we should get going, Sasuke. Naruto's probably wondering where we went to."

Sasuke nodded. "Yeah, I can hear the dobe screaming already."

She chuckled, looking at the three Akatsuki. "Thanks _**soo**_ much. It was really nice to meet you guys. I hope I see you on set!" She yelled, being dragged away by Sasuke.

"She really is cute, uh." Deidara mumbled, watching the two melt into the crowd of Konoha ninja.

Itachi nodded. "I'm surprised Sasuke doesn't see that he likes her."

"But didn't she say she was taken?" Sasori asked, seeing her meet up with a brunette, who was slightly shorter than Sasuke. The brunette kissed her forehead, which answered Sasori's question.

"Yes, unfortunately. But I don't see that lasting long." Itachi sighed. "We're just waiting on the Zombie pair, Bolt man and Paper girl." He added, seeing the group of teens heading inside the park.

"Of course, uh. Leave it to _**them**_ to keep us waiting." Deidara mumbled, wanting to go inside and ride the rides.

Sasori chuckled, kissing the blonde. "You're starting to sound like me, Dei-dei."

"No way, uh." He crossed his arms, turning away from Sasori.

Nodding, Sasori pulled Deidara back to him. "Oh yes you are."

"Stop flirting you two, we're in _**public**_." Itachi mumbled, looking away from the two, seeing the Zombie pair, Hidan and Kakuzu walking up. He didn't want to say it, or admit it, but Kirei was right.

The two were cute.

* * *

Halfway through the morning, the group was debating on what ride to ride next.

Some of the group had split off, going to play games or eat. They had already designated a rendezvous point, just in case someone ended up getting lost or separated so the large crowd became a small group.

It consisted of Naruto, Hinata, Kirei, Kiba, Sakura, Karin, Gaara and Sasuke, who trailed the group, not liking rides, but having nowhere else to go or anyone to go with.

He had his brother and his friends, but Sasuke would shoot himself before _**thinking**_ about going with them.

"Nii-san," Kirei started, pulling on the blonde's sleeve to make sure she had his attention. "I'm gonna get something to eat real quick, okay?"

He nodded, attention on her. "Yeah, nee-chan."

Knowing the energy of her cousin, since she had the same energy, she walked off, "I'll make it really quick, so don't forget about me!"

"No problem, nee-chan!" He yelled back, wrapping his arm around Hinata.

Standing a bit of ways away from the group, yet close enough to hear, Sasuke watched it all unravel. He also watched as Kiba elbowed Naruto, motioning up to a ride called the Pit Fall, which essentially took the riders up slowly and dropped them quickly. It was a ride that also caused people to puke. He watched further as the ride went down, screams coming from it.

Naruto turned to Kiba and grinned, "Dude, let's go!" The two walked off, the others following with a happy sigh.

Sasuke stood there, ruffling his eyebrows. Didn't Kirei _**just**_ say _**not**_ to forget about her? And what the hell was Kiba thinking? Wasn't she his girlfriend?

Sometimes Sasuke swore the two needed Ritalin.

He sighed. "Well, with them gone, I guess I get to go find her…" Sasuke mumbled to himself, walking off in the direction Kirei went. Even though he was the one who had to find her, he felt a little happy.

Kirei wasn't all that bad and she was his friend, so if he found her, the day might turn out better than he expected.

* * *

"Now…where was that French fry place I saw…?" Kirei mumbled to herself, looking at the buildings around her.

To her left was an empty pavilion; used for large parties or gatherings, while on her right was the side of a building. She could've _**sworn**_ they'd gone down this way, but the feeling in the pit of her stomach told her otherwise.

She sighed, turning around. It was a lost cause. She'd just go back to the group and starve for a while. As she walked, eyes closed only momentarily, she ran right into something – or someone – nearly falling backwards.

The person she'd run into caught her hands, keeping her balance. "Sorry, miss," He smiled at her. "I didn't see you there."

The feeling in her stomach deepened. "It's okay," She replied, a fake smile on her face. "I didn't see you either." She tried to wrench her hands away gently, but he wouldn't let them go.

"Are you lost? Cause I can help you find your way…" He leered, eyeing up his "prize".

Heart beginning to race, she tried to pull away. "Let me go!!" She cried.

That wouldn't be happening anytime soon. The girl he'd found was just his type – long blonde/brunette hair, her bangs covering the left side of her face in a pretty curve, hiding just one of the deep pristine blue eyes she had. Her long hair angled, it framed her face and small figure, even though she had curves like a winding river.

He licked his lips, watching her struggle under his grasp. "I don't think so, cutie." Letting her hands go for a split second, his hands found their way under her tank-tops, cold hands latching themselves on soft, warm skin.

She jumped from the coldness of his hands and as he moved closer to her neck, she swung her left hand across his cheek, nails cutting into his skin.

With this newfound pain, his right hand recoiled, but his left trying to keep its grip.

It resulted in Kirei pivoting to her right and with the pressure of his left hand, falling directly to the ground, turning and landing on her left side, sliding just a bit. With both of his hands gone, she curled up, covering her head with her arms.

"You little _**bitch**_…" He mumbled, rubbing his cheek despite the pain, finding he was bleeding. "I _**was**_ gonna go – " His voice cut off and all Kirei heard was a few thuds and someone limping away.

She didn't bother looking. In her curled up state, she was safe, and safe is where she wanted to remain. Lying there, she suddenly tensed when a hand descended on her bare shoulder.

The hand was warm, the voice soft. "You okay?"

Kirei knew that voice. Slowly, she moved her arms just a little, revealing her blue eyes to worried onyx eyes. She sighed heavily.

Sasuke was the one who saved her – _**again**_ – and now was crouched beside her, one hand on her shoulder, eyes connected with hers. "Come on, let's get you up."

She was silent, but pushed herself up, shaking her hair out of her face. When she tried to stand, a shooting pain came from her left leg – the leg she'd landed on and the one with stitches.

Already knowing her leg was in pain, he helped her over to the empty pavilion, letting her sit first. "You have a knack for getting in trouble, you know." He told her, pulling her leg up on the seat, also pulling her jeans up to check the stitches.

Watching him she replied, "You have a knack for saving me." She flinched when he grazed them.

"That's because it's my job." He replied, reaching into his pocket after seeing some of the stitches bleeding. Pulling out a long, white cloth from his jeans pocket, he explained. "It looks like you moved some of them out of place, so this'll keep them protected and keep water off of them." Peeling off the adhesive, he placed it gently overtop the stitches.

"Did you – " She shivered from the cold material. "_**steal**_ that from the hospital?" She asked, grinning. She knew he did.

He nodded. "I figured you'd do something to mess them up, so I stole it just in case." He answered, smirking. What was it about her that made him smirk? No one could make the Uchiha smirk as much as she did.

"You really _**are**_ a sneaky bastard."

He chuckled, pulling down her jeans. "All better."

Putting her leg back down, she looked over at him. "If you're here, that must mean Naruto and them forgot me, didn't they?"

He nodded, sighing. "Yeah."

"I figured." She stretched out her arms, standing up and testing out her leg before actually setting weight upon it. Feeling it was fine, she turned to the raven, finding he was standing, watching her. "So, I guess you're stuck with me today?"

"I wouldn't say "_**stuck**_"…more like…we're enjoying each other's company." Sasuke replied, following the blonde as she walked off toward the lake that was in the center of the park.

Smirking, she turned to him, walking backwards. "Since when do _**you**_ enjoy someone's company, you emo?" She asked playfully.

"Since I had someone to enjoy company with." He replied simply, making her turn around before she tripped or ran into someone. Knowing her, it would happen eventually.

She smiled at the answer. "At least you're not as emo as I thought you were." She got a glare from him, but shrugged it off. "So, what ride are we going on first?"

"_**Ride**_?" He raised an eyebrow. "I don't ride. I play games."

"But…I don't play games; I ride." She answered, shaking her head slightly.

Well, this was wonderful.

Sasuke sighed. "We'll hafta find a way to compromise then…unless you're just as bull-headed as Naruto." He said with a grin, watching as she scrunched her nose, sticking out her tongue.

"No way! We'll make a compromise!" She thought for about 5 seconds. "3 rides for 3 games, alternating one game for one ride. Sound fair?" She asked, smiling.

It was fair, but there was one thing that had to be changed. "Make it 3 games for 3 rides, and you've got a deal."

Kirei was quick to reply, not really caring which one came first. All she cared about was that she wasn't alone. "Deal. Which game's first?" She asked as he walked off, knowing she'd follow.

"You'll see."

At a slow pace, dodging people and whatnot, she still followed. "Oh, come on!! Tell me!"

He shook his head. "No."

Coming up beside him, she caught his attention, blue eyes wide. "_**Please**_??"

It was a hard look to resist, but Sasuke resisted it nonetheless. "Nope."

Pouting and crossing her arms, she muttered loud enough for him to hear. "_**Teme**_."

Sasuke just smiled and walked off.

* * *

The two had arrived at their game unharmed, thanks only to Sasuke who kept Kirei ahead of him and walking forward.

So now they stood in front of the small booth, seeing the large square of old fashioned pop bottles stacked neatly. The premise of the game was to buy a small or large set of red rings and throw them, hoping they'd land on the neck of the bottle. If it did, the player won a token that they could a) gather up and get a large prize or b) trade in for a small prize.

In this instance, both Sasuke and Kirei had their own amount of red rings.

Of course, Kirei had just run out of rings and she hadn't even won a prize yet. But she wasn't frustrated, like some would be. She'd played games before and never once did she win, so she gave up on them entirely, favoring rides instead.

Sasuke on the other hand, still had some rings left, already wining a token. He wasn't sure what to get yet. He'd played these games all his life, never liking roller coasters, since they usually made him sick.

Seeing Kirei miss every time, he knew she wasn't lying when she said she didn't play games.

Missing on the last one, Kirei pulled out yet another bill, throwing it on the stand. "This is my last dollar bill, so it's _**gotta**_ be lucky! I'll get it this time!!"

Sasuke chuckled, noticing the same enthusiasm Naruto had as the owner of the stand filled up her bucket of red rings.

* * *

A few minutes later, Kirei was on her last ring. Again. She still didn't have her token or a prize.

She sighed, gathering her thoughts and calming down before throwing it. When she did, she watched it intently, seeing it scrape the side of the opening and look as if it was going in.

Kirei sighed when it bounced off instead. "Well, I'm done." She said indifferently. It didn't much matter to her if she won or not, but it still made her feel bad.

Sasuke pretty much figured this, seeing how she turned around and leaned against the stand, watching roller coasters as they zoomed around the park. "You can use some of mine if you want." He offered, still having a lot to get rid of.

She shook her head. "No, that's okay. I'd waste 'em anyway. I'm horrible at games." She answered, shooting only one glance at him.

Sasuke looked at her. "Turn."

Kirei looked over at him, confused. "What?"

Motioning with his finger, he repeated. "_**Turn**_."

She did so, looking back at the rings going off the bottles. "And what am I supposed to – "

Sasuke took her hand, setting a red ring on her palm. "I'm gonna show you how to play."

She chuckled. "Sasuke, it's not _**that**_ hard to throw a ring!"

"Obviously it is when _**you**_ can't get it."

She rolled her eyes, huffing a little. "Shut up." Just because she couldn't get a little ring onto a bottle didn't mean it was hard. It was just hard for _**her**_.

"Seriously," He continued, knowing she was flustered and annoyed although she didn't show it. "There's a trick to it."

Raising an eyebrow, she looked at him. "Are you just messing with me?"

"No, I'm serious." He answered, moving the ring and placing it in her fingers. "Hold it like you're holding a mini Frisbee, curving your wrist." He began, curving her small wrist. He couldn't believe how small her hand was compared to his, as he molded hers to the position he always used.

She stood, letting him maneuver her hand to how he was used to, his head nearly on her shoulder. "Okay, and now I throw?" She looked to him.

"Nope." He shook his head. "Pick your target."

She sighed, blue eyes scanning the table of identical bottles. "Okay, I've got one. Even though they're all the same…"

"Shush," He hushed her, smirking. "Keep both eyes on it." He followed her eyesight, seeing the bottle she was focused on.

She nodded, using her peripheral vision to watch the raven who was nearly on top of her.

"And before wildly throwing like Naruto would do, practice throwing a few times." He did this for her, pulling her hand, then pushing it back.

She giggled. "He would do that, wouldn't he?"

"You don't need to ask." Sasuke replied, a smirk on his face. "And when you feel you've practiced enough, let it go."

Keeping both eyes open, resisting the urge to use one, she let it go. Kirei knew not to get her hopes up because she was absolutely horrible at games, but she did. Her hopes crashed when the ring bounced off. "See, I told you. I'm _**horrible**_ at games."

He had to admit; she was. "It's okay." Letting her hand go, he tousled her hair, trying to cheer her up. But he made it worse.

Just as she'd missed after getting her hopes up, he'd landed one of the rings on the bottle. He grimaced slightly, shooting a glance at Kirei and seeing how upset she looked.

Of course, she shook it off, turning again and not looking at the stand. She kept reminding herself it was just a game.

_'Good going, asshole.' _Sasuke thought in his mind. He'd felt bad before, but now he felt _**really**_ bad.

Looking at the token on the stand in front of him, he had a good idea. Taking it and the other one, he looked over at Kirei until she looked over at him, feeling like she was being watched.

"What?" She asked, her voice mostly monotonous.

Taking her hand from her again, he set the two tokens in it. "I felt bad."

She chuckled in disbelief. "Sasuke, I can't take these. You're the one who won them!"

Pointing at the prizes inside the stand, he replied, "And you really think I'm going to take home a stuffed animal and keep it forever and ever? I think that's more up _**your**_ alley."

She laughed, knowing he was right. "Okay then." She turned to the stand, leaning on it, looking around at all the stuffed animals, smiling at them.

Sasuke watched her, shaking his head. It was amazing how something so small could cheer a girl up.

Eyeing up a small, silver/ white wolf, she pointed at it, smiling. "That one, please!"

The owner complied, exchanging the same wolf she pointed to for the tokens Sasuke had given her.

She held it around the waist like a baby, holding it up. "Look how cute you are!!" She cried, pulling it back in her arms.

Sasuke chuckled, seeing her in a much better mood. Following her as she walked away from the stand, he asked, "Do you have a name yet?" He knew girls named their stuffed animals, even though he wasn't sure why. Every animal Sakura owned had a name.

She nodded. "White Fang; after my favorite wolf of all time."

Sasuke blinked. He knew that book. "You read?" He asked incredulously. "You don't seem like a reader to me."

"Well there's more to me than what you assume." She answered, grinning at him.

Again, Sasuke blinked. He wasn't expecting a philosophical answer like that. After the initial shock, he asked a very important question. "Which ride are we going on?"

Grinning evilly, she answered. "The Thunderbolt."

* * *

Standing in line for the first seat of the roller coaster, Kirei smiled and bounced, waiting to get in as the next empty coaster came up.

Sasuke was not excited. He was nervous, never liking coasters to begin with. He sighed and looked at Kirei, remembering their compromise. She'd held up her end of the bargain, playing a game she was absolutely horrible at, so why couldn't he?

"Riders, please board, the lightest person getting in first." The woman spoke over the intercom.

Obviously being the lightest of the two, Kirei got into the coaster first, setting White Fang behind her back so he wouldn't get lost. Smiling, she looked to Sasuke. "Come on, emo boy. It's not that bad. I picked an easy one just for you. No loops or barrel rolls."

He sighed first, trying to get rid of his nervousness. When he finally sat next to her, the realization of, "What the _**hell**_ am I doing _**here**_?!" set in.

"Passengers, keep all hands and feet inside the coaster at all times and do not stand during any part of this ride." The woman spoke again.

The bar that held the passengers in slid down, preventing Sasuke's escape.

Sasuke was doomed, holding the bar to try to lift it up.

Looking over at the raven, Kirei could just see the nervousness in him, something she wasn't used to. "It's _**okay**_, Sasuke." She said in her calmest voice, setting her hand on his. "I'm right here with you. Nothing's gonna happen." Her blue eyes were calm, reassuring.

Fortunately for the Uchiha, it seemed to calm him down.

At least until the coaster started moving, immediately cricketing up the seemingly large hill.

Sasuke looked around them frantically. "I don't wanna be here." He mumbled.

"Too bad, emo boy." Kirei answered, a smile on her face, watching the wooden track disappear under them. "It's already started." She kept her hand on his, massaging his hand with her thumb, trying to relax him.

It was a lost cause.

Just as she'd calmed him down, the coaster halted at the top of the hill and Sasuke was stupid enough to look down. Instead of her hand being on top of his, he grabbed her hand, clutching it tightly.

And down they went.

Through the hill, twists and turns, Kirei screamed happily, laughing and smiling, closing her eyes at sometimes, other times having them wide open.

Sasuke couldn't believe how someone could be laughing on a death trap like this. At least, that's what he first thought. After a few seconds of hearing her laugh and having her nearly thrown into him from the turns and he into her, he started to think that they weren't as bad as they used to be.

Kirei smiled more when the grip on her hand became less crushing. She knew that within a couple more rides, he'd be a rider and not a gamer.

As they came up to a double hill, Sasuke opened his eyes just a bit, realizing it wasn't _**so**_ bad. When he looked over at Kirei, she looked back, flashing him a smile. He continued to watch as the double hill sent Kirei flying out of her seat, only to be pushed back down by the bar.

During this, she laughed like no tomorrow. It'd _**always**_ happened to her on double hills. The force of going up twice and her being so small sent her upwards in midair and right back down, thanks to the bar.

Even with the bar to bring her back to her seat, Sasuke didn't like it. It was too unnerving for him to see her in midair even though she enjoyed it. But before he knew it, the ride came to a stop, jerking both of them forward.

"_**See**_?!" Kirei laughed, sitting back in her seat, flipping her hair out of her face. "Wasn't that _**awesome**_?!"

"It was okay." Sasuke answered as stoic as he could.

Looking over at him, Kirei tried to hold back her laughter, but she couldn't. Through gasps of laughter, she told him, "Your…hair's…a total…mess!"

When the coaster finally came into the building, they hopped off, Kirei first, still laughing as Sasuke desperately tried to fix the mess he called his hair.

With all the gel that he put in it and the force of wind from the coaster, most of his hair had been glued to a "wind-blown" position and looked utterly ridiculous.

"Here," Kirei said, still giggling as they walked down the platform and to a bench. "Sit and I'll fix it for you. Just hold White Fang for me."

Complying, he sat as she stood, combing her hands through his hair gently, trying to reform it to its usual "duck-butt" standard.

As she did, she realized how soft his hair was, thinking about how unusual it was for a guy to have hair almost as soft as her own. "There." She said, seeing it somewhat normal. "It's better than it was, but with all that gel, it's hard to get it back to normal."

Standing and handing her the wolf, he replied, "It never _**was**_ normal."

Taking her "baby" from him as she saw it, she giggled. "So, what game are we going to next?" Dreading the answer, she knew it had to be asked. It was all part of their deal and no matter how the other detested it, it _**had**_ to be done.

Looking away from the blonde, Sasuke had a different answer than the one she dreaded. Even though she was smiling and giggling now, being on a ride was much different. He wasn't sure what was different, but he want to see her smile more, hear her laugh more. "I was thinking we should amend that deal."

Kirei raised an eyebrow as they walked around aimlessly. "Oh _**really**_? And what do you propose we amend?"

Sighing, he just decided to be frank. "I want to go on another ride." He still didn't make eye contact with her.

She grinned an evil grin. She knew she'd break him eventually. "Okay." Grabbing his hand, she quickly dragged him away, knowing the exact ride she wanted to go on.

"No water rides, Kirei." Sasuke said sternly. He'd be damned if he got even a _**little**_ bit wet.

He couldn't see her, and that was the biggest mistake. She grinned at herself first, then turned her head to him, still walking forward. She no longer had that grin. "Of course not. We don't even have a change of clothes." Kirei lied. _**She**_ had a change of clothes, just in case.

Sasuke wasn't sure on whether to believe her. But he'd find out soon enough…

* * *

Sitting down and having a bite to eat, the whole Akatsuki had shown up to Four Winds and so far, were having a good time.

Sasori and Deidara managed to keep their flirting to a minimum, Hidan hadn't tried to set anything on fire and lastly, Itachi hadn't blindly walked into anything.

It was a good day so far.

"Hey, Itachi…" Hidan began at the opposite side of the long table the 9 had decided to sit at. "Isn't that asshole over there your brother?" He pointed behind Itachi to another raven and a blonde.

Looking behind him, he found that a good few feet away was Sasuke, being dragged around by Kirei. "Yeah, that's him."

Sasori and Deidara, who'd also heard the question, looked in the same direction as Itachi was.

"That's that cutie, uh." Deidara said, seeing Kirei, but not remembering her name.

Sasori helped him remember. "Kirei, wasn't it?"

Itachi nodded, seeing the stuffed animal under her arm, figuring Sasuke'd gotten it for her. He always _**was**_ a wiz at games. "Yeah, that's her." He also saw the smile on her face as she dragged him along by the hand.

What really caught Itachi's attention was the smile on _**Sasuke's**_ face.

"I thought cutie had a boyfriend, uh. Where's he?" Deidara asked, shoving a French fry in his mouth. He remembered the brunette who kissed Kirei before hand, but didn't see him anywhere.

Sasori shrugged. "Not sure, Dei." Seeing the two disappear and the smiles on both their faces, he added, "But I can tell you that those two like each other and I bet they don't even notice."

Kakuzu didn't miss that. "How much are you willing to bet?"

Sasori sighed. "I'm not in it for the money."

As soon as Konan and Pein sat down with a tray full of food, Kakuzu's attention was taken. "How much did you spend?!"

"Enough to feed all you fat-asses." Pein replied, handing the food around.

When Itachi didn't immediately grab his food, Kisame asked, "Are you going to eat that?"

Still watching the two with his Sharingan, he smirked. He was always right and very soon, Sasuke would be coming to him for help. "Yes, Kisame. I'm going to eat that." He said, deactivating his Sharingan and turning around.

It was all just a matter of time.

* * *

Sitting on the highest hill of the highest coaster of the park, Neji and Raiha were together in the front seat, stuck.

The ride was meant to seem "stuck" but after a minute of waiting, plunged the riders down the hill.

To a girl afraid of heights, this was not where Raiha wanted to be. She was only on the ride because Neji had convinced her to go on, saying he'd be right there with her.

He was right there with her, trying to keep her calm as the coaster sat in its heights.

The Dumbass twins, Naruto and Kiba were sitting behind Neji and Raiha, excited for when they would drop. Of course, with nothing else to do, they began to pick on the visibly scared Raiha.

"It's okay, Raiha-chan," Naruto began, sitting diagonally from her, patting her on the shoulder. "We're only going to drop until we hit the ground…which is a _**very**_…very _**far**_ away place."

"Yeah, I mean," Kiba added. "It's not like we're going to _**die**_ or something…"

Raiha closed her eyes, moving closer to Neji, who glared at the two behind him.

"You dumbasses, shut the hell up." He smacked both of them over the head.

Naruto pouted. "But, Neji, it's fun!!"

"For _**you**_, maybe." He replied, narrowing his eyes.

Kiba rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, let us have some fun, we're bored up here."

Neji sighed. "Than why don't you two pick on each other? It's rude to pick on women, especially when they're scared."

Both boys sighed, leaning back in their seats. "You're boring, Neji."

"Yeah, nee-chan's more fun than you!" Naruto said, reminding him that he forgot about his cousin. He didn't worry all that much, also knowing that Sasuke was with her, or at least _**assuming**_ he was with her.

He hoped he was.

Suddenly, all of them were jerked from their thoughts when the coaster began to move forward.

Screams of joy were heard from behind them, but Raiha did not want to scream for joy. She wanted to scream out of fear.

"Thank _**god**_!" Naruto screamed, looking down as the coaster inched further and further.

When it finally bolted downward, everyone screamed as loud as they could.

"We're all gonna die!!" Kiba yelled above everyone else, still trying to unnerve Raiha.

Succeeding in doing so, she shut her eyes, latching onto Neji, screaming her heart out. Holding her, Neji made a note that Naruto and Kiba were going to be beaten down very, very soon.

They'd get it for scaring his Raiha.

* * *

"…The Raging Rapids?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow at the sign in front of him.

Kirei nodded, trying to pull him in the line. "Yep. Raging Rapids, let's go."

Standing firm, she didn't get far in pulling him. "This doesn't happen to be a ride where we get wet, is it?"

She giggled a bit, smiling. "You only get a _**little**_ bit wet." She answered somewhat truthfully. Seeing the skeptic look on his face, she tugged at his hand. "_**Please**_, Sasuke?"

He sighed, looking away to spare himself from her cute look and the possibility of him blushing. Sasuke did not ever blush, he wouldn't start now. "Okay, fine, but – "

"Yes!!" She cried, pulling him with all her might.

He gave up trying to disagree with the blonde, smiling.

* * *

Sasuke began to seriously doubt the "little bit of wet" Kirei told him. Near the beginning of the line was the exit ramp, both staged on a giant rotating deck where the inner tubes would rotate around the deck.

As he saw people get off, completely drowned, he looked to Kirei, who waited anxiously for their turn. Although, some people weren't nearly as soaked as others, only a little bit wet. He _**hoped**_ he'd get only a little bit wet too.

"Oh, we're next!" Kirei exclaimed, setting White Fang in a bin that held personal items for people who didn't want them to get wet.

"Kirei…if we get soaked – "

She didn't seem to hear him, gasping at the raft that was going to be theirs. "That's my favorite number!!"

Sasuke began to think she was avoiding his questions/ threats just because she wanted him to go along. So he looked at the raft, letting her happily drag him along the moving platform, almost losing his balance. "Zero is your favorite number?"

She nodded. "Always has been. I'm not sure why, but it is." She stepped into the inner tube first, grabbing a seat and buckling herself in, pulling on the seatbelt so it would fit her. Just as he was about to sit beside her, she shook her head. "No, sit across from me, cause if we're on the same side, the waterfalls are more likely to hit the _**both**_ of us."

Clicking in his seatbelt, Sasuke looked at her. "Waterfall?"

She smiled. "_**Waterfalls**_, Sasuke."

Gaping a bit, he turned to see that the tube was out of the dock, freely spinning in the first area, right before the rapids area. He turned back to Kirei, glaring. "Oh, I hate you so much."

She still smiled. "Uh-huh. That's what you _**say**_." She said in a sing-song like tone. "You just wait, Sasuke." She said smoothly, holding the ring in the middle of the inner tube to help stabilize the people who sat in the tube. A total of 6 people could be in one at one time.

He watched as the gates opened, allowing the raft to drift into the rapids, picking up speed quickly. He watched further as the raft spun and dipped into the water on Kirei's side, sending it flying up her back.

A combination between laughter and shock took her face as she cried, "Oh god, it's freezing!"

"Payback for you tricking me." Sasuke smirked, watching Kirei shiver just a bit.

Through this, she looked at him, eyes unbelievably malicious, lips curled into a smirk. "Just you wait…"

As if magic, the same thing that happened to Kirei happened to Sasuke, even though he didn't look near as happy as she did. "Oh, fuck, it is freezing!"

She laughed at his curse. For some reason unknown to her, when someone swore, she laughed. "I _**told**_ you!!"

He saw her smile and smiled himself. But when he saw the first of the waterfalls coming up, he just watched the crushing amount of water rush down. Whoever got hit with that would be absolutely soaked beyond "little bit".

Seeing the look she had herself when she first saw the waterfall on Sasuke's face, she knew it was coming up. Looking behind her, she estimated how the raft would hit the wall and turn and who would get hit. Sighing, she figured that she'd be the first to get hit.

Sasuke took that sigh as code that she'd be the first hit.

Unfortunately for him, Sasuke was _**wrong**_.

They both watched as the raft hit one of the walls, sending the raft into a spin and sending Sasuke right underneath the waterfall.

Kirei couldn't help but laugh, hearing the colorful curses that came from the other side of the raft. She thought she'd die of laughter when the raft spun, revealing a soaked head-to-toe Sasuke.

The best part was his hair, completely covering his eyes, only the bottom half of his face showing along with a part of his nose.

"You know," Kirei began, her laughter heard in her voice. "You kinda remind me of what Simba looked like in that part from the Lion King when he was pulled into the pond."

"You mean a drowned rat?" He asked back, smiling a bit, trying to move his hair out of his eyes.

Giggling she replied, "Yes. A drowned rat."

Successfully getting his hair out of his face, he looked over to Kirei and wasn't expecting to see her disappointed face, looking out beyond the raft.

He was about to ask why when she mumbled, "Oh, _**shit**_."

Sasuke watched as the exact thing that happened to him happened to her, completely drenching her. It was actually kind of funny, hearing her laugh and scream at the same time and seeing her just as drenched as him, her bangs also obscuring her face. "_**Little**_ bit wet, huh?"

Flipping her bangs from her face, she picked up her feet, draining the water from them. "Oh, shut up." She played.

Seeing the raft close to the exit ramp, Sasuke sighed. He could get off, get dry and fix his hair. When he glanced at Kirei, who was trying to wring out some of her clothes, she looked at where they were and smiled.

That meant something else was going to –

_**PSSSHHHH**_!!

"Hate me now?"

He glared, the blast of water from a small underwater cannon hitting him and re-drenching him. "Yes." He grumbled. This time, he didn't bother moving his bangs, wanting to be blind. It was better that way, because something else was _**bound**_ to soak him again.

The raft jerked onto the exit ramp, slowly moving up to the deck while it drained water.

Kirei unbuckled her seat belt, sighing happily. "That was refreshing."

Sasuke scoffed. "Yeah, if you like being drenched."

"Cheer up, emo kid; I'll help you fix your hair again." She replied, hearing the click of his seatbelt as the raft plunged back to the deck. "Okay, come on."

"I can't see." He told her, hearing her get up.

She shook her head, smiling. "Than move your bangs, silly."

"I don't want to." She got him _**on**_ this ride, she was getting him _**off**_.

Sighing, yet still happy, she walked over, grabbing his hands, pulling him up. "Watch your step, it's gonna be moving." She reminded him of the moving deck.

Even with the reminder, he would've lost his balance if she hadn't had hold of him.

Still leading him along and able to see, Kirei picked up her puppy and walked toward the exit, getting off and heading to a spot very few people knew about.

He sensed this, it becoming very quiet after a few minutes. "Where are we?" He asked, worried about the answer. He could hear his voice eco. Second later, he found happy blue eyes staring into his.

"Well, hello there." She said playfully. "We're in a bathroom." She answered, letting him see.

"…this is a _**woman's**_ restroom."

She nodded, using the sink edge to help her balance as she set her foot on it, wringing out her jeans. "Yep. No one uses it, so I figured we could use it to wring out some of our clothes." She explained, switching her feet and wringing out the other side. She then proceeded to sit on the sink, taking off her shoes and socks, wringing out the socks and pulling them back on.

"I see." He began wringing out his pants as well. "And what happens if someone comes in?"

She motioned toward the stalls on her left. "We run in those." Both socks on, she walked to the driers, putting her shoes underneath to dry them out.

He eyed her, following her footsteps in drying out his shoes. "It sounds like you've done this before."

She laughed, remembering a few years back. "More than once." Coming back to the sink and its mirror, she unclipped her long hair, wringing it out as well, pushing her bangs out of the way. Feeling it was dry enough, she clipped it back up. "At least we won't hafta worry about being hot for the rest of the day." She shot a glance to him, "With all the black you wear, you emo."

He looked over at her. "I'm not the _**only**_ one wearing black." He motioned to the black tank top she wore over the white one. "Emo."

"I can't help it if it's my favorite color!" She retorted. Standing wringing out her shirt, Kirei became alert, hearing the door to the restroom open and shut.

Someone was inside.

Too busy trying to fix his hair Sasuke didn't hear it, nearly falling over when Kirei grabbed his wrist, wrenching him away from the mirror. "Hey, I wasn't fin – "

She shushed him, pushing him into one of the stalls she'd mentioned, looking around before going in herself, locking the door. "Get up on the seat so she doesn't see your feet." She told him in a whisper, already knowing he'd figured out someone had walked in.

"What about you?" He asked in a whisper, doing as she said.

She just smirked, placing her feet on the edge of the toilet in the stall, resting her back against the door, leaning on it. She tensed when the door began to rattle.

"Oh, I guess this one's locked…" The woman on the other side mumbled, walking to another stall.

Heart beating ridiculously fast, Kirei sighed a silent sigh. She'd done this thousands of times before, but it _**still**_ made her heart beat. Waiting a few seconds until she heard the click of a lock, Kirei hooked her hands on the top of the stall door, pulling away both feet, one hanging, the other set upon the lock of the door.

Hoisted up on the door, she pulled herself up a little more, looking out into the rest of the bathroom, seeing no one there. She sighed, turning her head just enough to see Sasuke out of the corner of her eye. "It's clea – " Kirei almost shrieked as her foot slipped, unbolting the lock and sending the door flying open, her flying with it.

His heart beating somewhat fast, it heightened as Kirei hung from the stall door. It quickened even more when she sent a terrified glance to him, whimpering just a little. He rushed over to her, thinking about how he got to hold her for the _**second**_ time today. But he didn't let her hang long, knowing her arms would give out eventually, slipping one arm under her knees, pulling them up, while keeping an arm behind her back. "You can let go, clumsy, I've got you." He whispered so the woman in the bathroom with them wouldn't hear.

She said nothing, but let go of the door, totally trusting Sasuke as she fell back onto his arm. She sighed in relief, setting her head on his shoulder, shutting her eyes. "Thank you."

Setting her back on her feet, he replied, "Just don't go hanging off of doors when I'm not around."

Before saying another word, the two soaked teens left the restroom, checking around to make sure no one saw them exit.

"I won't." She assured.

As they did walk, heading for their next ride or game, Sasuke realized he still had his hand on her back, although it had moved to the small of her back. He removed it quickly, wondering if she thought he was a perv for keeping his hands on her, feeling horribly embarrassed. He hoped he wasn't blushing.

Kirei hadn't noticed his hand before or after he moved it, but wondered what sparked this strange "shy-guy" attitude in Sasuke. "Are you okay?" She asked, leaning forward to gain his attention.

He shook off his embarrassment, regaining the trademark Uchiha coolness. "Yeah, I'm fine." He didn't look at her, looking ahead instead. "Which ride next?"

She giggled, heading off into the park. "I knew I'd get you into rides! Come on!!"

Sasuke sighed in content.

Despite being wet, today was a good day.

* * *

"Raiha!!" Naruto called, holding a tray of food in the small food court. "Neji!!" He added, noticing he was missing as well. "Damnit, where'd they go?"

"Let it go, Naruto," Kiba began, sitting at a small table, being that their group had dwindled down to himself, Naruto, Hinata and Sakura. "They probably ran off to have a make-out session."

Hinata nodded, agreeing with the statement. "Yeah, they're dating…we all know it."

Naruto shrugged, sitting down and setting the tray on the table. More food for them.

Taking her burger and fries, sitting next to Naruto, Hinata had a question that had been bugging her all day. "Kiba," She started, shoving a fry into her mouth after taking a bite. "I have a question for you."

Mouth full of food, he nodded. "Mmrff."

"Aren't you worried about Kirei?" The question bugged her. If Kirei was his girlfriend, wasn't he worried about her at _**all**_? And if she was with Sasuke, wouldn't he be at least a _**bit**_ jealous?

He shook his head, gulping before answering. "…Well, yeah and no. She's my girlfriend, but she's also a big girl. She can handle herself. Plus, Sasuke's probably with her and when he's with someone, you don't hafta worry." He explained. "I can trust them because I know they're just friends."

Hinata was quite surprised. When _**she**_ was dating Kiba he was always worried about her, who she was with and why she was with them. Needless to say, he was possessive. It just seemed odd to her that with another girl, he was completely different.

But also, the girl he was with was different. She was related to Naruto, who was one of Kiba's best friends, so Kiba had to _**act**_ different with her. If anything happened to her, Kiba had Naruto to answer to. Hinata understood after this little revelation.

"I mean, yeah," He took a quick swig of his drink. "I'm worried, she _**is**_ my girlfriend. But, I need to let her go out with her friends, guys or girls. I need to trust her."

Hinata nodded, looking away from the brunette to her overactive blonde. At least he'd learned from their breakup.

* * *

Hours had passed and night descended upon the park, sending the lights on and the park to become a color paradise.

Sitting on a bench near the entrance of the park, Sasuke watched as Kirei stood in line at a cotton candy vendor, fiddling with the money Sasuke gave her.

Earlier in the day they'd sat down to eat for a few minutes, but when Sasuke came back from getting something to eat, Kirei didn't have anything and it looked like she'd hadn't gotten up. He wondered why. "Why don't you go get something to eat?" He asked, seeing her eye up his food, obviously hungry.

She gulped, trying not to stare at his food. "Cause I don't have any money. Remember that game we played?"

He remembered for sure, also remembering her comment about the last dollar. He choked as he realized her last dollar wasn't her last dollar _**bill**_, but the last dollar she _**had**_. "You spent _**all**_ your money on that game?!"

A little surprised from the outburst because she'd never seen him have an outburst, she nodded. "Yeah, but it's okay. I'll wait to eat until we get home." Home meaning the Kazekage mansion where everyone was staying.

He raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you first leave to get something to eat?"

She smiled sheepishly, looking away from the raven. "…yeah…"

He sighed. He should've known that he'd have to pay for something sooner or later. "Here," He said, pulling some cash out of his pocket, handing it to her. "Get something to eat before you pass out."

She didn't take it. "No, seriously, it's okay. I can't take your money." She pushed it back toward him.

In short, he made her get something to eat and now he was paying for cotton candy, one of the few sweets Sasuke actually ate. Flipping out his phone after getting it from a locker, he called Naruto, hoping he'd pick up.

"Yo, teme! What's up?" The blonde answered loudly.

"Not much," He answered. "just getting cotton candy with your cousin."

Naruto laughed. "So you _**are**_ with her! We were wondering if you were."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the comment, but shrugged it off. "Anyway, she ran out of money quick, so I'm paying for a few things. What I really wanted to ask is are we meeting up again or what?"

He seemed to calm down a bit, voice lowering. "I'll pay you back for whatever she cost you, teme…but really…it's all what you guys wanna do. We're gonna stay late, but I know nee-chan would be really tired, so it's up to you." Naruto answered.

Nodding even though Naruto couldn't see it, Sasuke watched Kirei, hoping she'd get the blue cotton candy. "Alright then. I'll let you know what we're doing. And don't worry about paying me back."

"Thanks for staying with her Sasuke. I know she appreciates it." He answered. "See ya!" Naruto hung up before Sasuke could say anything, raging to go on the ride they were standing in line for.

Sasuke just chuckled, clipping the phone shut. When he looked up, Kirei came up to him, holding blue cotton candy in her hand. He smirked.

"One cotton candy!" She exclaimed, sitting next to him on the bench. "Talk to Naruto?"

Taking some of the cotton candy and eating it, he nodded. "Yeah, he basically said we're on our own."

She laughed, taking some too. "I already knew that." Swallowing it, she explained. "I mean, we're talking _**Naruto**_ here. He's in an amusement park, everything attracting his short attention span while with one of his best friends. I pretty much figured we were on our own from the start."

She really had thought that out. "I was too busy keeping an eye on another person with a short attention span to notice."

She play glared at him, thinking about taking the cotton candy out of reach, but decided not to. "You're mean."

He smirked, taking more cotton candy. "That's also my job."

"Well, your job _**sucks**_." She smiled, taking another piece of cotton candy.

Sasuke nodded, agreeing with her. "I know."

Silence fell between the two, both content with the cotton candy and in general.

During this silence, Sasuke took glances at Kirei, watching her as she looked around the park, watching people go by. A question had been lingering in his mind about her – or really, her brother – and he contemplated on asking.

In his mind, there were two ways she would answer. One would be is that she would shut up, not tell him anything and become upset with him. Two, she'd tell him _**something**_, answering a part or all of said questioned.

He really hoped it'd be two over one. So he sighed, bringing her attention to him. "Can I ask you a question, Kirei?"

Kirei thought his question was strange because Sasuke never asked a question to ask a question. Usually he just asked his question, which made her wonder what he was up to. "Depends. What's the question?"

He hesitated, something else Kirei'd never seen from him. "…Well…I know it's kinda a touchy subject…and if it's _**really**_ touchy, you don't hafta answer or anything…"

Kirei stared at Sasuke. Was this even Sasuke at _**all**_? Hesitating, not expecting an answer _**and**_ worrying? Where did the real Sasuke go? "…Okay…Just turn back to normal and ask your question without caring. You're scaring me."

Sasuke hadn't realized the changed, so he tried to shake it off and asked, "…How did he die?"

She continued to stare at him, eyes wide. Her heart told her he was asking about her brother, but she had to be sure. "…How did _**who**_ die?"

Oddly, Sasuke became uncomfortable for the first time that day. "Your…brother."

"O-oh…" She broke eye contact, pursing her lips, sighing a heavy sigh.

Seeing her reaction, Sasuke regretted asking. "It's okay, you don't have to answer." He said quickly, trying to make her forget to cheer her up. It was strange to see her without a smile on her face.

"Accidental overdose." Kirei said quietly, looking down.

Sasuke _**really**_ regretted asking. He made a mental note to never ask again.

"Please don't ask about him again." She pursed her lips again, closing her eyes as if in pain.

"Never." Sasuke replied, equally as quiet. He wasn't sure why it hurt so much to see her without a smile, but it did. At that point, Sasuke didn't care why, he just wanted to see her happy again. "I'm sorry for asking and I'll never ask again."

Sighing, Kirei set her head on Sasuke's shoulder. "Where's my emo? You're not Sasuke." The Sasuke she knew would _**never**_ apologize.

He chuckled. "I can have personality, too, Kirei." He heard the small amount of playfulness in her voice and figured his Kirei was coming back.

"No. You can't." She got up, shoving a wad of cotton candy in his mouth with a smile on her face. "I forbid it."

He shook his head, smirking. _**This**_ was the Kirei he knew.

Getting up, she sighed. "I think we should head home." Heading home, or really the place they were all staying, meant she could get more to eat – being ravenous all the time – and it would also guarantee questions about her brother would be avoided. She could hole up in her room with her music and do whatever she wanted. Sleep was her first choice, knowing Naruto wouldn't wake her up whenever they got home.

""I think"?" He questioned with a smirk, standing as well. "I'm surprised you think."

Walking backwards and still eating the cotton candy, Kirei replied, "You should be scared that I think. I have numerous devious plots…" She smiled an evil smile.

He gave her a quizzical look back, following her out of the park. "Scared? Of _**you**_? Yeah, right."

Turning back around and walking out normally, she wagged her finger. "Hey, just because I'm not a ninja doesn't mean you shouldn't fear me. I know things." Taking more cotton candy, she continued. "In our family, Naruto got all the pranks. I got all the devious plots. So in that, you should fear me."

"I'll fear you when you go playing in the rain." He replied, taking the last of the cotton candy.

She glared. One, for taking the last of the cotton candy and two, she'd never go in the rain. That meaning he'd never fear her. "Okay then. I guess you'll just hafta put up with being pranked."

"Pranked?" Sasuke got his answer when the cone that the cotton candy landed square on top of his head.

After this, Kirei took a few large steps forward, just in case.

"Let's see." Sasuke counted on his fingers. "I've been paying for everything," One finger. "I was taken on a roller coaster that made my hair a mess," Two fingers. "Then onto a ride that drenched me, despite being told it _**wouldn't**_," Three fingers. "And then almost being caught in a woman's restroom and saving a friend of mine." Five fingers. "Finally getting a cone from cotton candy on my head." Six fingers in all. "I think that constitutes as torture."

Kirei couldn't help but laugh throughout his explanation. "Oh, you liked it." She replied with a smile.

Sasuke wouldn't admit it to her or anyone else, but he did enjoy it. Despite being very anti-social and not really into amusement parks, he had fun. He sighed, knowing that since he shared a room with Itachi, he'd be bombarded with questions about the day. Lots and lots of questions.

Tonight was going to be _**fun**_.

* * *

Strangely, those questions never happened.

After getting home around 11, both headed to bed in their respective rooms, wondering when the others would be getting in.

Kirei never heard Naruto come in, Sasuke never heard Itachi come in.

Coming out of her and Naruto's room, she found Sasuke sitting at the top of the steps, which was right to the left of their rooms. It seemed to be if he was waiting for her. "_**Sasuke**_?"

He turned to see her, shushing her gently, eyeing the large orange shirt she wore. He could barely see the boxers she wore, the shirt covering them.

She lowered her voice. "What's going on?" She sat down next to him, almost seeing the living room downstairs.

He smirked, already seeing the spectacle. "Go look. Just be quiet."

She saw his smirk, sparking her curiosity. "…Okay…" She wondered if maybe he rigged something to get her back, but shrugged it off, carefully placing her feet on the wood floors after descending the stairs.

She nearly laughed, covering her mouth with her hand to stop herself. She just walked to the doorway, afraid to wake anyone up.

Everyone in the cast who had gone to the amusement park, save for herself and Sasuke, were spread out in the large room, sleeping.

Naruto and Kiba, as it seemed, fell asleep upside down on the lazy-boy chairs, Hinata with Sakura, Ino and Karin on the floor. The missing Raiha and Neji were found, asleep on the couch, Neji's arms wrapped around the small brunette.

Kirei smiled, shaking her head. They can't deny _**that**_.

Now that Kirei noticed, some were missing from the room. Shino, Gaara, Temari, Pein, Konan, Kakuzu and a few others were gone, most likely in their rooms, actually able to get themselves up the stairs.

Smiling, she headed back up the stairs, grinning at the raven who watched her walk up the stairs and passed him. "Where're you going?"

"To get my camera. I can't let Neji and Raiha get away with _**this**_." She answered, slipping into her room and rummaging around for her camera. When she found it, she walked out, turning it on and setting it to no flash.

Seeing her walk back down, he asked, "What are you going to use those for?"

She stopped and turned, grinning at him evilly. "_**Blackmail**_." She continued to walk down the steps.

Kirei really _**was**_ devious, snapping shots of the sleeping people. Sasuke made a note to keep on his toes around her.


	5. FFVII

* * *

_The Actors_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. xD

_Notes/Warnings: _None this chapter. As a note, yes this story has an OC. Yes, it has Yaoi (Later on). Yes, the OC is related to someone on the show.

_**DEAL**_.

If you don't like it, don't read or review. Just hit the button that says, "Back" Or the little backspace key on your keyboard.

This is a little early for me to be updating, but I have a reason. I started writing this story before I posted the first chapter. Since it's summer, I've been dreadfully bored out of my mind, so I've been quite the busybody, writing away any time I can. Since you guys are only on chapter 5, I've gotten to chapter 13 already. XD So, I'll probably upload sooner in the next couple chapters this week. Also, because I'm going on vacation the 16-23 (I won't tell where, you stalkers, you. XD) so I won't have internet. Just so you all know.

There is a lot of detail in this chapter, along with a lot of Final Fantasy 7 hints. It's alright if you don't understand, just take the name of the character and google them. :D

Thank you, all of you, who have read and love my stories. I hope you enjoy this one just like my others!

* * *

_Chapter 5 – FFVII_

* * *

"Sakura, can you help me curl my hair, please?" Kirei called from her room, unable to curl and braid her long hair to the specifications it need to be.

"Sure, no problem!" She answered, running from her own room and into Kirei and Naruto's room.

Hearing her come in, Kirei gasped. "Oh, my god, you look just like Yuffie!!" She cried, seeing the usual pink haired ninja with dark hair, a black headband around her forehead.

Sakura smiled, wearing the Advent Children version of Yuffie's ninja outfit, a black with medium sized white patterns tank top, underneath an equally black sleeveless jacket that showed off her midriff, a black glove on her left hand, a white sweatband on her left, short tan shorts with a black side pocket, black kneepads that seemed to melt into her long gray, lace up boots. Her outfit was completed with the giant ninja throwing star that rested on her back for the moment. "Thanks." Coming up to Kirei, who sat at a small vanity mirror, she said, "And once we get your hair curled and braided, you'll look just like Aerith."

Sitting in the long pink dress that Aerith wore in Final Fantasy 7, her red denim bolero jacket sitting on the back of the chair, Kirei had been able to tie her hair up in the ponytail Aerith wore, her bangs already positioned, the pink ribbon tied around her ponytail. She just had trouble curling her hair with the curling iron, never having curled her hair before and for her, it was physically impossible to braid hair behind her back. "You think?" Kirei fumbled with the large iron bracelets that covered her wrists.

Picking up the iron, Sakura nodded. "Of _**course**_! I mean, you've got her figure, your hair's as close as it can get, even if it is a little blonde…and you're eyes are just as pretty as hers, although yours are blue, that doesn't matter. I mean, Yuffie's eyes are brown and mine are green." Sakura added, counting the seconds that passed by as Kirei's hair sat in the iron.

"True."

"Guys, have you seen my gloves?" Hinata asked frantically, coming into the doorway of Kirei's room.

Looking over at her, Kirei smiled. "Hinata, you're absolutely _**perfect**_ for Tifa!"

Wearing the Advent Children version of Tifa's outfit, the black leather top zipped up over the white cotton one, only the bottom of the white and the straps showing. Like Sakura, her midriff was showing, cut off by her equally black capri's, a black cloth with a pocket on her front connected by buttons and a belt to the much longer black cloth coming down to her black converse sneakers. The only thing missing were her black leather gloves.

"And yes," Kirei continued. "They're in here. You put them here so you wouldn't lose them."

Hinata sighed a huge sigh, taking the gloves on the vanity. "Thank you _**so**_ much, Kirei."

Smiling and sitting still for Sakura, she replied, "No problem."

"I'll see you downstairs, then!" Hinata waved, walking out of the room, avoiding the mass chaos some of the girls had created upstairs to get ready for this Final Fantasy Halloween. Walking down the steps, she found all of the guys ready.

Naruto came up to her first. "Well, well, Tifa…you look nice."

She laughed. Guess they were using the names as well. "I should say the same, Cloud."

Yes, the blonde hero of Naruto was also the blonde hero of Final Fantasy VII. The same as Hinata and Sakura, Naruto also wore the Advent Children version of Cloud's outfit, the navy colored shirt, it's collar nearly reaching Naruto's ear, zippered up right above the first of two straps, this one moving across his chest from right to left, holding up the shoulder guard, the other strap moving down his chest from left to right attaching itself with the long black cloth around his waist, falling all the way to his feet. The shoulder guard had the same wolf head symbol and the same black cloth that covered his left arm. On that same arm was a black glove, the other arm adorning a much longer glove that covered his wrist and part of his forearm. His black pants adorned a few pockets and one more belt. Thanks to the gel in his hair, provided by Sasuke, he looked almost exactly like Cloud, his sword on his back. "I do, don't I?"

"Don't get full of yourself, dobe. You aren't as good as Cloud." Sasuke insulted with a smirk on his face, sitting on one of the chairs in the living room.

Naruto turned to him and retorted, "Well, you're no Zack Fair, teme."

Sasuke gave no reply, simply because he didn't care. His cosplay was that of Zack Fair's and mainly purple, the shirt's collar rising over his neck like a turtleneck would. Also on his sleeveless shirt were two brown leather supports, going over both shoulders, holding up the large black leather stomach guard and it's two straps. Also covering his shoulders were black shoulder pads, both of them connected to the leather straps. His pants were plain purple, no pockets, simply shoved into his black boots. His hair wasn't much of a problem, bangs already perfect, he just had to spike the rest of it up.

On another chair, Kiba snorted. "You got _**that**_ right. He couldn't be nice if his life depended on it."

Grabbing the sword on his back, gloves covering his hands, Sasuke pointed the blade at him. "You wanna start something, Squall?" Even using the name, Sasuke was as monotonous as ever.

Cosplaying as his favorite character, Squall Leonhart from Final Fantasy VIII, Kiba pulled his "Revolver" Gunblade out, pointing it at Sasuke. Both hands gloved in black leather, his equally black jacket covered the end of his gloves, no skin on his arms showing. The fur ruff on the collar of the jacket was the same, along with the length of the jacket and the white shirt underneath. His pants were also black, having two belts cross in the front to form an "X" shape, one brown the other black. Unlike Sasuke's pants, his went overtop his black boots, the elastic making them stay in their spot. Also unlike Sasuke's, his had three black belts wrapping around his right thigh. The last part to his cosplay, other than his hair that Sakura styled was the Griever necklace around his neck and the scar over his brow and bridge of his nose, traveling from left to right when one looked straight at him. "Yeah, why not?"

"Calm down you two. We don't need any trouble inside the house." Gaara commanded, cosplaying as Reno, also from Final Fantasy VII. With his fiery red, already spiky hair, Gaara was perfect for Reno, adding the red tattoo's under his eyes with Temari's red eyeliner. The ponytail Reno sported was fake for Gaara, mostly a few extensions pulled together in a ponytail. He had one of the simplest outfits, not needing to buy anything. He already had the white button up shirt, already unbuttoned by two, the black suit jacket and pants. Gaara even had the nightstick Reno used. The goggles on his head were provided by Naruto, who just happened to have a pair lying around.

"Yeah," Shikamaru began, lying on the couch. "If you wanna fight, take it _**outside**_." Even as lazy as he was, Shikamaru was in cosplay, choosing to cosplay Tseng, who wore just a black suit and tie, hair slicked back, thanks to Sasuke's gel. He was lazy, so what could anyone expect?

Both Sasuke and Kiba returned their swords to their holsters, but both were still glaring at each other.

Temari and Lee were also wearing black suits, Temari cosplaying as Elena; her blonde hair flopped to the left, the rest tied back. Lee was cosplaying as Rude and even though he wasn't bald or black, he tried as hard as he could, sporting the same shades as Rude. After all, Gaara was Reno, Lee was Rude and Reno and Rude were good friends, just like Gaara and Lee.

Turning to the couch, Naruto sat down, pulling Hinata with him. "So, who are we waiting for?" He got mixed answers.

"Well, Sakura's done. She's just fixing up Kirei's hair and they should be down. I think Raiha is helping Ino and Ten Ten a few rooms down." Hinata answered, remembering that she saw said blonde running into her room, hearing Ten Ten's voice.

Kiba also gave him an answer. "Neji, Shino and Chouji are in the kitchen, working on their own cosplays."

Naruto nodded and was just about to ask where Akamaru and Kankuro were, but got his answer when a dyed red Akamaru walked in, some of his hair spiked up, adorned with beads and feathers, an X type scar on his right eye. On his side was a black mark that read XII. His paws had gold gauntlets around them, a ball of fluff representing the flame at the end of his tail. "_**Red XII!!**_" He cried, amazed at the giant dog.

Akamaru barked happily in response.

Upon his back was Kankuro, dressed in black, save for the part painted white, starting at his chest and going down. Part of his face was also painted white, from the center of his brow and also going down, but extending over his eyes to his cheeks, then coming back down to form a large white diamond. The rest of his face was painted black, matching the hood that covered his brow hair and gave him his signature cat ears. A small gold crown was seated upon his head, a red cape tied around his neck. His gloves were white, boots brown. "Hey, what about me?" He asked, looking down at the Cloud cosplayer.

"Cait Sith…" He sighed, smiling, seeing Kankuro jump down from Akamaru. "Dude, that's got to be _**the**_ most awesome Cait Sith cosplay _**ever**_."

Sitting in another chair, he sighed. "Just wait til you see Neji's and Shino's. I saw a glimpse of them and they're fucking _**sweet**_."

As if on cue, Neji and Shino walked in, Chouji right behind them.

Chouji's cosplay was simple, like Shikamaru's. He was a vender Moogle; completely beige except for the small purple wings and the little floating red ball above his head, connected by a wire and taped onto Chouji's head. Holding a bag of chips, he sat on the floor.

Neji was Vincent Valentine from Final Fantasy VII, like the majority of the group. His dark hair was set over the red headband he wore, nearly hitting his clear eyes. Just about all of the bottom half of his face, all of his neck, shoulders and part of his arms were covered by a tattered crimson cloak that extended to his calves, belts latching the cloak together near his face and one on his chest. Underneath the cloak, one could see the two belts that held his black capri's in place. His arms also had black clothing, a gold gauntlet overtop the black material on his left hand, bringing his fingers to a sharp point, while his right hand held a three-barreled revolver, known as Cerberus, even having the three heads of the mythological dog on the barrels. The holster for Cerberus was placed on his right leg, straps holding it in place, while black boots covered the rest of his legs. Like his left hand, both boots had gold shielding placed on them, bringing his toes to a point.

Seeing him, Naruto was speechless.

"You look good in red, Nii-san." Hinata commented, seeing him lean against the wall, flipping the swoop of hair that covered his right eye.

"Thanks Hinata. Anyone seen Raiha?"

A shout was heard from upstairs. "I'll be right down!!"

He smiled, staying silent.

It was then attention was drawn to the silent Shino who cosplayed as Vivi Orunitia from Final Fantasy VIX. Like Kiba, he was the only one from his game. But that was okay for Shino, seeing as he got to wear an overly large and tall tan hat, the brim coming out very far, casting a shadow on Shino's face. The top of the hat was actually near the brim, collapsed at the false top, since it was so large. The collar of the blue jacket he wore also covered part of his face, it strung together at the neck by red string, first going across and then in an X pattern. Because Shino was much taller than Vivi, he wore a black shirt underneath the jacket, hiding any part of his skin. The belt of his pants was red and rather large, holding up the pale green and white striped pants, ruffled up at the bottom from the brown boots he wore. Further protecting his skin from showing, his hands were covered by red leather gloves.

"Shino, dude, that's absolutely _**awesome**_."

Seeing his reaction, Neji said, "Just wait until he puts on his glasses." Neji nodded, motioning for him to put his glasses on.

As he did, a reflection came upon them, revealing two yellow shines, representing Shino's eyes as well as Vivi's.

Even Sasuke had to applaud him. "Nice job, Shino."

He nodded, his way of a thank you.

Impatient as he was, Kiba tapped his foot. "You know girls, the night doesn't last _**forever**_!! Halloween's only once a year and it's not like we can do it _**tomorrow**_!!"

"Shut up Kiba," Sakura answered, walking down the stairs, Kirei behind her. "We're here, Ten Ten and Ino are finishing up, plus it's early."

Kirei let them have their spat, favoring to stay silent and smile.

Seeing his cousin walk towards him, jacket and boots on, he smiled, pulling her into a hug. "Oh, you look awesome, nee-chan."

She giggled, hugging back. "You do to, Cloud." After Naruto let her go, she found her way over to the chair Kiba was sitting on, sitting on the arms of the chair. "I think I like your hair like this more than usual." She mumbled to him, playing with his new hairstyle.

"I like you no matter what." He replied back, smirking.

During their comments, Ten Ten, Raiha and Ino began walking down, now walking into the living room to meet the ready team.

Ten Ten cosplayed as Yuna, choosing her outfit from Final Fantasy X-2, instead of X. Her hair was out of their usual buns and straightened out and away from her face. A teal beaded earring hung from her right ear, the bottom nearing her clavicle, a fake hair piece reaching her feet, red thread wrapped around the majority, only a part of her brown hair seen at the bottom below a pink and white bow. Around the nape of her neck was a pink hood, the straps of her cream shirt connected to it, the shirt almost split in half, traveling down her chest, coming together above her belly button. In between this split that showed her skin was a black design, a very sharp looking M at the top and traveling down to the end of the split from the point of the M. Wrapped around the end of the cream shirt were two yellow strings, a pink lace coming out from the bottom of the cream shirt. Like Sakura and Hinata's outfits, it also showed her midriff, if only part. Her left side midriff was covered by an elegant blue cloth tied on the right side, it extending to her ankle in three layers, each layer ending in a white frill. Underneath this blue cloth were black short shorts, revealing her legs until her black lace up boots covered her calves and feet. On the blue cloth was a small brown pack, laced around her hips. Above her elbows were two yellow bands, laced with a red string, a sole black wristband on her left hand, while both hands held two identical blue and yellow guns. The outfit was just like Ten Ten and Yuna; both kick ass.

Raiha's was the opposite of Ten Ten's, a fancy blue blouse with white frill traveling down the middle, a black, angled, flowy skirt, darker blue ribbon laced around it. She had maroon high heels and an anklet, along with a long white lab coat that had a nametag that read, "Lucrecia Crescent." Her bangs were styled to cover her left eye, some parts on both side gracing her collar bone, the rest tied up in a high ponytail, held by a large yellow band, her hair falling to her lower back. As her nametag mentioned, she was Lucrecia Crescent from Final Fantasy VII, the mother of Sephiroth and a love interest of Vincent Valentine.

Ino's was the opposite of Raiha's, but similar to Ten Ten's. She was also from Final Fantasy X-2, cosplaying as the blonde, Rikku. Her usually long blonde hair was pulled up, some of it braided with blue and pink beads added, all held up of her neck by way of a blue bandana, only a few sections of her bangs underneath the bandana. The braids spilled over the bandana, some reaching her collarbone, others still on top of her head. Wrapped around her neck once was an unusually long scarf, the area around her neck red and as it traveled down, reaching her knees, changed to orange and then again to yellow near the frayed ends. Her top was a bright yellow bikini with black straps, part of them extending over her chest. The bottom of this bikini set could not be seen, covered by a green miniskirt, although one could see the straps of the bottom, resting up on her waist. The miniskirt had a yellow belt on it, this belt holding two pockets, both having strings hanging from them. Unlike the other characters, she had small blue and very pale green boots, very loose fitting near her ankle. The only other piece of clothing she had were cream-colored sleeves that covered her arms, 5 bows tying them so they would stay on her arms. Her hands were also partly covered by maroon, fingerless gloves. The last part of her cosplay were Rikku's weapons, two large mahogany knives, a circular handle making them easy to hold.

"It's about _**damn**_ time!" Kiba yelled, jumping up from his seat.

"Oh, hush," Ino began, watching the rest of the group stand up and stretch their legs. "We have to look the best and to look the best, you've gotta take your time."

"And it's not like _**your**_ cosplay's as complicated as ours." Ten Ten added, playing with the blue cloth around her waist.

Kiba gave up the argument. He could've won it if he really wanted, but at the moment his mind was a little focused on Kirei. He laced his arm around her waist. "You ready to go, doll?"

She nodded, giggling. Her sides were the only place she was ticklish, though she'd never tell anyone. "Yep."

"_**Good**_." Taking one last whiff of her hair, he jumped off, letting her go, meeting up with a different blonde. His attention shifted quickly. "Okay, dude, let's get this bitch started!"

Naruto high-fived him, agreeing. "Yeah!!"

Following directly behind them, Sasuke, Kirei and Hinata sighed.

It was going to be a _**long**_ night.

* * *

Walking down the streets of Suna, Naruto and Kiba led the Final Fantasy group, Hinata, Kirei and Sasuke right behind them.

Everyone was laughing and having a good time as they collected candy and even gave autographs and pictures to those who asked.

But Hinata, Sasuke and even Kiba couldn't help but notice how many Tootsie Rolls Kirei popped into her mouth.

This would be her _**12**__**th**_, always eating them by twos.

"Sweets, how is it that you can eat so much chocolate?" Kiba asked, moving back to her, slipping an arm around her waist, the other hand holding his bag.

Naruto answered for her, her mouth full. "Her favorite food is chocolate. Plus, she's hyperactive, like me!"

She nodded, still chewing. "Yep. I've eaten chocolate for a long, _**long**_ time." She added, nodding. "It's my fetish."

Other than Naruto, the other 3 stared at her choice of words.

"Fe-fetish?" Kiba asked, staring at her, wide-eyed.

She looked over at him, licking some chocolate off of her bottom lip. "Yeah. Don't you have one?"

Kiba looked away, a blush on his cheeks.

Hinata and Sasuke just kept staring at her as she reached for another two Tootsie Rolls.

Letting Kiba guide her, Kirei looked up in thought, something odd coming to her mind. "Hey…Cloud?"

Naruto turned to her, smiling. "What's up, Aerith?"

She pointed to Naruto, a confused look on her face, yet a playful tint in her eyes and voice. "Do I know this guy?" She pointed to Kiba, on her right. "I mean," She started before he could ask what she meant. "I know you're Cloud…and you're Zack," She pointed to Sasuke, on the other side of Kiba. "And you're Tifa…" She pointed over to Hinata, on her left. "But…I'm not sure who this is."

Catching her drift from the hint in her eye, he also stared at Kiba quizzically. "Yeah…You don't _**look**_ familiar."

Hinata caught on, Sasuke already knew from Kirei's words.

"_**WHAT**_?!" Kiba blasted, staring between the two blondes. "What d'ya mean you don't know _**me**_?! I'm _**your**_ best friend," He pointed to Naruto. "and I'm _**your**_ boyfriend!" He clenched Kirei's waist.

Hinata joined in, nodding. "Yeah…He could be Sephiroth in disguise."

"Than maybe we should kill him." Sasuke added, gripping the sword on his back.

Kiba looked at all four of them in horror. "GUYS!! It's _**ME**_!! Kiba…err, _**Squall**_!" Then it hit him. The other four were from Final Fantasy _**VII**_…and he was from Final Fantasy _**VIII**_, and in their world, none over-crossed, meaning they didn't know who he was.

Suddenly, Naruto jumped back, pulling out his sword. "Final Fantasy battle!!" He yelled, happily.

Hearing this, the others from behind all of them jumped into the Final Fantasy style battle, one party on the right, the other party on the left, all "bouncing" up and down to represent the characters movements, like in the games.

Using their Ninja abilities, they were able to have a nearly realistic battle, Raiha and Kirei sitting out to film the battle, along with the fact that they weren't Ninja, unable to perform to their standard.

Of course, Kirei wanted to join in, but with them using _**real**_ weapons and _**real**_ attacks, Naruto was afraid of her getting hurt, Kiba and Sasuke also voicing their opinions.

Kiba flat out told her he didn't want her to join, afraid she'd be hurt.

Sasuke only told his opinion to her, after seeing the disappointed look on her face. He also told her that since Kiba was on the opposite team, he'd beat him down for her.

"You're funny, emo kid. You can't kill Kiba." She replied, giggling. Her and Raiha were sitting on the ledge of the wall of the park, watching them set up for the battle.

Sasuke on the other hand, did not laugh, but smiled just a bit. "I'm serious."

Raiha thought he was actually serious.

Kirei knew he was joking, able to tell somehow. "About as serious as when I say I'll go play a game at Four Winds and actually _**win**_ something."

"Sure." Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and at hearing his nickname being called by Naruto, headed off with a slight wave of his hand.

Raiha looked at Kirei, a bit confused. "Was he really serious?"

Smiling, she shook her head. "No, of course not. Couldn't you see the slight smile he had?"

"Kirei…" Raiha started off, shocked, but very serious. "Ever since I've been here, he's never expressed emotion at _**all**_."

She thought about it for a minute and then looked up, shrugging her shoulders. "I guess there's a first time for everything."

* * *

After the half-hour long battle that drew a ridiculously large crowd, Kirei and Raiha jumped off the wall, both going back to their group they were with before.

"Did you get all of it, nee-chan?!" Naruto asked, not the least bit tired.

She nodded, a big grin on her face. "Yes, we did, nii-san."

"_**SWEET**_!!" Kiba yelled, once again lacing his arm around Kirei's waist. "We'll hafta put that up on Youtube later!"

"Hey, guys!"

All five turned, seeing Kankuro run up, still on Akamaru's back.

"'sup, Cait Sith?" Naruto asked, still using their cosplay names.

Kankuro smiled, clipping his phone shut. "I just got the info on a Halloween Party going down in a friend's club. Wanna go?"

It seemed like Naruto and Kiba had stars in their eyes.

Kankuro nodded. "Yep. You can only get in if you're in costume."

They turned to each other and at the same time yelled, "Let's go!!"

Kirei, Hinata and Sasuke sighed.

Kirei and Hinata got to dance with their boys, or just dance and have fun.

Sasuke got to watch.

Tonight was just getting better by the minute.

* * *

"Kiba, seriously, _**don't**_." Kirei told him, backing up just a little.

He pouted, trying to pull her closer. "Awww, _**please**_, Kirei?"

The group had done as they said, going to this club party. Of course, they were gladly accepted inside, some finding their way to the dance floor, others to the tables to take a break and a few odd ones here and there.

For the last hour and a half Kirei and Kiba had danced, together and with their friends. A few people laughed when Kirei and Naruto did their routine, able to dance together without having to know an actual routine. Their minds were in sync more than people knew.

Now Kiba had her all to himself, arms wrapped around her waist, slow dancing with her.

She had her arms around his neck, but couldn't get rid of the nervous feeling in her stomach. It wasn't a _**bad**_ feeling, more like the butterflies in her stomach acting up, making her heart race as well. It raced and raced faster when she could feel Kiba's hands drifting further and further downward very slowly. "Kiba, I told you _**no**_."

He sighed. "But you're my _**girlfriend**_, Kirei…"

"I know that…" She sighed heavily. "But, I've gotta tell you, I have this kinda reflex thingy."

He raised an eyebrow. "_**Reflex**_?"

She looked down, a bit embarrassed. "Well…It's something I've had since I was kid…whenever I get really nervous or uncomfortable and then someone does something I'm not used to…the reflex happens and it's _**not**_ something you want to happen to you." She explained, eyes down the whole time.

Kiba chuckled, thinking on how cute she looked when she was embarrassed. "Sweets, you don't hafta worry about that stuff. I know what I'm doing, okay? I won't hurt you." He assured her.

Even though, Kirei didn't feel all that assured. She still danced with him, feeling that he was kind of right. She _**was**_ his girlfriend.

After a minute or two, again, Kirei felt his hand slipping downward.

This time, she didn't warn him. She let it and her reflex happen.

Kiba felt somewhat accomplished, finally able to say he'd grabbed his girlfriend's ass before anyone else could. What Kiba didn't anticipate is the jerk from Kirei and the knee of hers that came right in a spot Kiba would rather it not.

Kirei helped him to the floor, her knee coming back down and supporting her on her feet. She felt bad, but she _**did**_ warn him. "I'm sorry, Kiba…" She said, kneeling down to him, running her hand through his hair.

Seeing exactly what happened, Naruto helped Kiba up and off the floor.

Kirei followed, making sure Kiba was okay at the table. "I'm gonna go see Sasuke for a bit, okay?" She told him. She figured it'd be okay, since he was currently incapacitated.

He nodded.

Kirei knew he wasn't at the dance floor, having been there for the last hour and a half. Plus, with his personality, he wasn't one you'd find on the dance floor. So, she took her time, looking around the packed club. She smiled when she found the raven, sitting by himself on the steps that led to the VIP section.

At first Sasuke didn't see her walk up, eyes darting around everywhere. He took notice when he saw the pink of her dress and when she sat next to him.

"What're you doing over here, Zack?" She asked, a smile on her face.

"Nothing." He replied, shrugging his shoulders slightly. Even if he didn't express it, he was happy to see her.

With half-lidded, unamused eyes she looked at him. "Well, _**duh**_. Anyone can see that." She knew he was happy to see her. She wasn't sure _**how**_, she just knew.

He looked back at her, another slight smile on his face. "I saw what you did, though. Kiba get on your nerves?"

She sighed heavily, looking down at the floor. "No…It's just…I have this reflex."

"A reflex?"

"It's something I've had since I was a kid." She kept her eyes downward. "If I'm uncomfortable or nervous around someone and they do something I'm not used to, the reflex goes off. It could be in my knee or in my arm, anywhere."

"Sounds almost like a defense mechanism." Sasuke said, linking the similarities.

She nodded. "It is. And I'm thankful for it…but it's still _**really**_ embarrassing."

"I could imagine." Sasuke said calmly. "Did you warn him about it?"

She nodded again, this time also setting her head on Sasuke's shoulder. "Yes, I did. I just get this feeling that all he wants from me is…"

"Sex?"

"_**Yeah**_. And it makes me uncomfortable…really, _**really**_ uncomfortable." She replied, hands shaking slightly from her nervousness.

Even though Sasuke was relatively calm on the outside, on the inside, he wanted to rip Kiba apart, glaring at him from their spot. In Sasuke's view, any girl should be treated respectfully. If she was uncomfortable, you stopped whatever you were doing to make her uncomfortable, no matter your wants. You learned _**her**_ boundaries and let her get used to testing the water and maybe even break those boundaries.

He knew Kiba did things differently, but it still pissed him off. "You have your phone with you?"

"Yeah…" Kirei said, getting up off his shoulder and reaching into her jacket pocket. "Right here, why?" She held the slick black phone in her hand, wondering.

Sasuke took it in a flash, opening it and messing around on it.

Kirei watched, seeing him enter his number in it. "Oh, oh, can you put Emo Kid for your name?"

He looked over at her with a look that read as, "_**Hell**_ _**no**_."

Her look was better; Big blue eyes and a big smile on her face. "_**Please**_??"

"Fine." Sasuke sighed, entering his name as "Emo Kid". "This way, if you're feeling uncomfortable and want to leave, you can use me as an excuse, okay?"

Taking her phone back and setting it in her pocket, she nodded, putting her head back on his shoulder. "Yeah, you devious bastard."

He smirked. "That's also my job." Without moving her, he used his other hand to enter her number in his phone. He wouldn't ever share his fuming with Kirei, or let it show on his face, but he still fumed.

It wasn't right to treat a girl like that, making her think she was there just for _**his**_ enjoyment. He decided that later, he'd tell Kiba what she felt and thought. He'd also give Kiba a piece of his mind too.

"I'm bored now."

He chuckled at her random outburst. "Than go do something." He watched as she got up from her spot and jumped down the steps, grabbing his hands and trying to pull him off the steps.

"Come dance with me." She asked/commanded, yanking playfully on his hands.

He didn't budge. "I don't dance."

"Please?" She asked with her blue eyes staring directly into his. She even used the fact that he didn't budge to balance herself while she teeter-tottered back and forth. She knew he wouldn't let her go.

"No." He still didn't budge, even when she began her teeter-tottering. He didn't dance. _**Ever**_. He wouldn't start because of a pair of blue eyes.

"Aw…you're no fun." She answered, pouting. "Emo Kid."

"Well, if he won't dance, I will."

Kirei turned, hands still latched with Sasuke's to see Kiba walking up to her. "You feel better?" She let her hands slip from Sasuke's as Kiba wrapped an arm around her waist.

He smiled. "Much, now that I'm with you again."

She scoffed with a smile on her face, slipping out of his grasp for a second. She walked up the first step or so, just enough to hug Sasuke, her arms around his neck. "Thanks again for saving my life…more than once."

Not really knowing how to respond, Sasuke patted the girl's back, his hand slipping around her back as she pulled away. "No problem."

Suddenly, a new song came over the pounding speakers in the club and Kirei gasped the largest gasp of her life. "I _**love**_ this song!!"

Spinning around, she bounded off, mouthing the words to the song.

Kiba followed, feeling a little jealous. Kirei never hugged him like that before. "Kirei, I'm not sure you should hug anyone but me…"

She slapped his arm. "Without him, I wouldn't be here. Plus he's my friend. I have every right in the _**world**_ to hug him." She answered.

Fortunately for Sasuke, he heard it all and smiled. He finally made a friend on his own.

Realizing she was right, Kiba let it go, moving with her as she turned around on the floor, dancing right with him.

_"Its you, and me  
Moving at the speed of light into eternity (yeah)  
Tonight, is the night  
To join me in the middle of ecstasy  
Feel the melody and the rhythm of the music around you (around you)…"_

Sasuke found himself watching the two, or at least, Kirei and very quickly looked away as she turned, hands in the air, eyes shut, mouthing the words to the song.

_"Ima take you there, Ima take you there,  
So don't be scared, Im right here, ya ready?  
We can go anywhere,  
Go anywhere,  
But first, it's your chance,  
Take my hand,  
Come with me,"_

To him, with this pulsing beat, it seemed like the club was alive, dancing to that very beat. Slowly, he found his eyes drifting back at to a certain blonde, watching her every move. It took longer to pry his eyes away.

_"Its like I waited my whole life  
For this one night  
Its gon be me you and the dance floor  
Cuz we only got one night  
Double your pleasure  
Double you fun  
And dance forever ever (ever)  
Forever ever (ever)  
Forever ever (ever)  
Forever (forever)  
Ever, ever (ever)  
Forever ever (ever)  
Forever ever (ever)  
Forever on the dance floor…_

_Feels like were on another level (ohh ahh)  
Feels like our loves intertwine  
We can be two rebels  
Breakin the rules  
Me and you  
You and I  
All you gotta do is watch me  
Look what I can do with my feet, baby  
Feel the beat inside  
Im drivin, you could take the front seat (front seat)  
Just need you to trust me (trust me)  
Girl, girl, girl  
Its like now."_

Again, he found eyes on both of them, watching her laugh, especially when Kiba picked her up, trying to represent the "another level", he guessed. He even smiled when they pointed to each other, mouthing the words, "Me and you, you and I."

He _**almost**_ regretted saying no.

_"Its like I waited my whole life  
For this one night  
Its gon be me you and the dance floor  
Cuz we only got one night  
Double your pleasure  
Double you fun  
And dance forever ever (ever)  
Forever ever (ever)  
Forever ever (ever)  
Forever (forever)  
Ever, ever (ever)  
Forever ever (ever)  
Forever ever (ever)  
Forever on the dance floor…_

_Its a long way down  
We so high off the ground  
Sendin for an angel to bring me your heart  
Girl where did you come from?  
Got me so undone  
Gazin in your eyes got me sayin  
What a beautiful lady  
No ifs ands or maybes  
Im releasin my heart  
And its feelin amazing  
There's no one else that matters  
You love me  
And I wont let you fall girl  
Let you fall girl (ahh ohh oh, oh)  
Yeah, I wont let you fall  
Let you fall  
Let you fall (ohh ohh)  
Yeah, yeah  
Yeah, yeah…"_

He really regretted it, watching as Kiba and Kirei locked eyes, still mouthing the words to the song. Kiba even shook his head as he mouthed, "No ifs ands or maybes." signifying his point.

Flipping out his phone, he went into the ringtone sectioning, activating the Song ID application. He'd find out the name of this song.

_"Its like  
Its like I waited my whole life  
For this one night  
Its gon be me you and the dance floor (me an you on the dance floor)  
Cuz we only got one night  
Double your pleasure  
Double you fun  
And dance forever ever (ever)  
Forever ever (ever)  
Forever ever (ever)  
Forever (forever)  
Ever, ever (ever)  
Forever ever (ever)  
Forever ever (ever)  
Forever on the dance floor…_

_Ohh oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, ohhh yeah  
Forever ever, ever, ever  
Forever ever ohh…"_

"…"Forever" by…Chris Brown?" Sasuke mumbled, seeing the result of the Song ID. It certainly wasn't _**his**_ style of music. Remembering the name and singer, he clipped his phone shut, oddly happy. It was a strange feeling to him and he wondered if it was how every happy person always felt.

He knew one thing. With the talk he and Kiba were going to have, Kiba wouldn't have that happy feeling for long.

* * *

Sighing at the bar, Raiha waited for the water she'd just ordered. Dancing for that long in a club packed with people, while in a lab coat made a person _**very**_ hot.

So with her lab coat hanging off the back of her chair, she took the sweating drink before it was even set on the bar, nearly chugging it and asking for another.

"Jeez, Lucrecia, you might choke on all that."

Raiha smiled, knowing the voice before seeing who it was.

Decked out in red, Neji leaned against the bar next to her. "Where's your man Hojo?" He asked, playing on the plot of Final Fantasy, or at least Vincent's story.

"Oh," Raiha began with a smile, waving her hand up and down, eyes closed. "He ran off with my son, making him into a psycho, blah, blah, blah." Truthfully, that was the most Raiha knew about her character, not being that big a Final Fantasy fan.

"I see." Neji replied, a smile on his face as well. "Well, do you think you have room in your heart for another relationship?"

Still smiling, she turned to him, eyeing the red he wore and the style of his hair. "You look _**much**_ hotter in red than in that man-skirt you wear." She complimented, comparing this outfit to the one he wore for Shippūden. She should know; she was always keeping an eye on _**her**_ man.

He smiled back. "You know, dear, I was thinking that maybe we should tell our buddies about this secret relationship we have." Looking out to the dance floor, he eyed a few of his friends. "I think they already know anyway."

Raiha lost her smile, circling the edge of the glass with her finger. "Do we _**have**_ to?"

Neji noticed the change and shook his head. "Of course not."

She sighed. "Okay…cause," She looked over at him, loving the red and how it contrasted with his hair and eyes. "I don't think I'm all that ready to be bombarded with questions and such." She reached out, playing with his hair. "Plus…I like having my alone time with you…"

He smiled, letting her twirl his hair around. "I do too…and now that I think about it…I don't want them all thinking they were right this _**whole**_ time…" He shot semi-nervous glances to the dance floor.

"Excuse me,"

Both diverted their attention to the man who called to them, finding a photographer next to them.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but I'm from The Suna Times and I see that a lot of you are cosplaying as Final Fantasy characters and I want to try to get a lot of pictures for the paper. Would you both mind?" He asked, holding his ID from the paper, camera in the other hand.

The two exchanged glances with a smile and looked back at him. "Not at all." They replied at the same time, Neji helping Raiha off the stool, setting her coat on her shoulders.

She slipped it on, letting the photographer position them and take the photos he wanted.

"Thank you **so** much!" He said, bowing. "All the pictures will be sent to the paper and to Kazekage Gaara as well, if you'd like personal copies."

Neji smiled, holding his hands around Raiha's waist. "No problem."

Before they could say good-bye, he spotted another member from the Final Fantasy group, running off to get their picture as well.

"Well, now that _**he's**_ gone…" Raiha began, turning around in her boyfriend's arms. "I think we should go dance." She led him along, walking backwards toward the floor.

He smiled. "Of course, Ms. Lucrecia. _**Anything**_ for you."

She smiled back, not loosing contact with clear eyes staring back at her. "I love you, Vincent Valentine."

"I love you, Takada Raiha."

* * *

Early that morning, when everyone had walked in around 2 and went to bed, Sasuke stayed at his doorframe, watching as Kiba helped the completely tuckered out Kirei to bed.

Naruto was passed out on the couch downstairs.

When Kiba exited the room, shutting the door as quietly as he could, he found the raven staring back at him. "Want something?" He asked, knowing the raven might have something on his mind.

"Yes." He answered softly, knowing his brother in the room behind him was a light sleeper. "I want to tell you something about your girlfriend."

Kiba nodded, leaning against the opposite door, his voice also soft. "I think I know my _**girlfriend**_."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, slightly smirking. "Than why is it that she told me that she gets the feeling that all you want from her is sex?" Sasuke tried as hard as he could to keep his voice down and calm, but bits of anger seeped through.

Strangely enough, it seemed Kiba already knew this. "Well, that's part of a relationship, isn't it?" He smirked, knowing he was staring to piss off the Uchiha.

Sasuke shook his head, trying to remain calm by crossing his arms instead of balling them into fists. Fists could result in punching and waking some people up. "Not every relationship, _**especially**_ with her. She's not used to what you do, dumbass. You need to get her used to it." Sasuke tried to explain.

Kiba didn't want to hear it. In his view, she was his, and _**only**_ his, girlfriend. He was pleased to do whatever he wanted with her. "Seriously, dude, you need to get laid or find some friends, because I know how to handle her. You're just pissed because _**I**_ got to her before you did."

Vanishing in thin air, the Uchiha appeared directly in front of the Inuzuka, pushing his arm to his throat, backing him into the wall. "Look, shithead, that girl is my friend and I swear to _**fuck's**_ sake, if you hurt her in anyway possible I will kill you. She means a lot to a _**lot**_ of people." He let Kiba choke a little, then pulled back a bit. "I _**will**_ be keeping tabs on her." He let him go, Kiba dropping to the floor.

Coughing a bit, he answered, "Fuck, Uchiha, are _**you**_ in love with her?!"

Taken aback by the statement, Sasuke was quick to resume his usual stoic look. "No, she's just the first _**real**_ friend I've had in a long time, so I'm gonna make sure she's happy." He replied, leaving the Inuzuka on the floor, turning and walking into the room he shared with Itachi. He sighed, slipping off his shoes, shaking his head. "I know I'm not in love with her…she's my _**friend**_." He tried to assure himself.

"Having troubles?"

Sasuke nearly fell over at the sudden voice of Itachi. He looked to see his brother awake, staring at the ceiling, hands behind his head. "Not really." He lied.

"Tch, it's not good to lie, especially to someone who _**knows**_ when you're lying." Itachi answered, hearing the conversation between Kiba and Sasuke.

Sasuke sighed, knowing his brother wouldn't let him drop the conversation. Sitting on his own bed, he looked over at his brother. "I'm just confused…I mean…She's my friend, but I'm not in love with her…so then how can I protect her and be friends with her _**without**_ people getting the wrong idea?"

Wow. Itachi had _**never**_ had his brother say that much to him in one "sentence". _**Ever**_. "Friendship is a strange thing, Sasuke. You love your friends, but you don't."

When he looked at Sasuke, all he got was a, "What the fuck?" look.

He sighed, sitting up and facing his younger brother. "There _**are**_ different types of love, Sasuke. For example, there's the love you have for your friends, like you and Naruto. You may not realize it, but you two have a bond and you have love for him. But that's _**not**_ saying you love him in a way you'd love your girlfriend. That's a different type of love. Another type is the type we have, between us brothers. Family love, where I can say I love you and people won't look at us weird." He explained. "Make sense?"

Slowly, Sasuke nodded. "…Yeah…" Sighing, he fell back on his bed.

Itachi took his cue to go back to bed, lying back down.

"Itachi?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks."

Itachi nearly choked.

* * *

"…What is…" Gaara fingered the manila envelope on his desk. It had no title, no address, just a plain manila folder.

Opening it, a small smile crossed his lips, realizing that these were the photos taken of the Final Fantasy group days ago. Too bad they'd already left for Konoha. Figuring he could send them later, Gaara went through them, wondering how many of the group had been captured.

His eyes lit up in somewhat surprise, somewhat of an, "I knew it." look, seeing a photo of Naruto and Hinata. Of course, that's not what caught the teal eye of Gaara. It was the couple in the background kissing.

Vincent Valentine and Lucrecia Crescent.

Setting the photo aside for some blackmail later, he continued to finger through them, seeing mainly everyone having fun.

Flipping through them so fast, Gaara almost missed it, bringing the photo he just passed to his fingers. Instead of a smug, "I know everything" look, he was a bit shocked. The photo was of Aerith and Zack, sitting together on the steps.

That of course, didn't bother Gaara; he knew they were friends.

What shocked him was the look on one of their faces.

Kirei had her head on his shoulder, eyes closed at that moment, a smile plastered on her face.

Sasuke's was the look he wasn't expecting. He was looking down at the slight blonde, eyes unbelievably soft, a smile on his lips.

If Gaara hadn't seen it in the photo, he never would've believed it.

Again, he set aside the photo.

Both would be very nice for blackmail.


	6. Confirmation

* * *

_The Actors_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. xD

_Notes/Warnings: _None this chapter. As a note, yes this story has an OC. Yes, it has Yaoi (Later on). Yes, the OC is related to someone on the show.

_**DEAL**_.

If you don't like it, don't read or review. Just hit the button that says, "Back" Or the little backspace key on your keyboard.

Oh, long, long chapter. A lot happens and finally, we learn what happened to Kirei's brother! Next chapter, we find out what happened to Sasuke and Itachi! Yay! I hope you like this one :D

* * *

_Chapter 6 – Confirmation_

* * *

As soon as the doors to hell opened, Kirei ran as fast as she could for the filming grounds. The hell, as she called it, was Konoha High School.

It had been a week since their adventures in Suna and in that week, when Kirei went back to school, she had tried out for the lead role in this years' musical, Beauty and the Beast.

Just like the first few days of the week, she would go to the filming grounds directly after school, doing her homework or just hanging out with her friends. It almost was tradition.

Today was just a little different.

Standing around as the group took a break, Shino suddenly spoke. "Incoming."

Naruto figured he was talking about Kirei and looked down the path she usually came down, seeing her run at full speed with a huge smile on her face.

Getting to the outskirts of the group, she literally threw her book bag to the closest tree and nearly ran over her cousin. "Nii-san, nii-san, _**I got it!!**_" She screamed excitedly, glomping him with such force that he almost fell over.

His eyes lit up, lips turning into a smile. "_**Really**_?!"

She nodded, quickly, unable to speak.

Crushing her with a hug, he exclaimed, "I _**knew**_ you'd get it!!"

Everyone else stared at the in utter confusion.

Kiba was the first one to speak. "Um…what exactly did you get, Kirei?" He asked, walking over to her.

Releasing her cousin, she took a ridiculously big breath. "Well, when we got back and I went back to school, I found out that they have a musical and this year's musical is Beauty and the Beast, and for those of you who don't know that's my favorite movie _**ever**_ and so I tried out for the part of Belle…and I got it!!"

Everyone still stared, only hearing the part of, "And I got it!!"

What a strange family the Namikaze's were.

"Needless to say," Naruto added, setting his arm around her shoulders. "She's gonna be a lead in the School Musical this year." He figured that no one understood what she said, with how fast and how out of breath she said it.

"_**Who's**_ gonna be a lead?"

Everyone knew the voice; the very familiar voice of one pervy frog sage.

"Grandpa Perv!!" Naruto exclaimed, hugging the Sannin who'd just appeared in a poof of smoke.

Smiles were with the group, all of them knowing that Jiraiya was in fact the Yondaime's father, Naruto's grandfather. Plus, he was a lot of fun to be around for a man of his age.

Yet another cry of "Grandpa" went out, but this one Jiraiya wasn't expecting.

Kirei's eyes lit up when she saw her grandfather, running over, hugging him and Naruto in the process. "_**Grandpa**__**Froggy!!**_"

Surprised at the second glomp, he laughed. "Well, I didn't know my _**favorite**_ granddaughter was here!!"

She giggled, letting him go. "I'm your _**only**_ granddaughter, Gramps."

He nodded, still laughing. "Right you are." Looking around at the group of teens, he repeated the question. "Who's gonna be a lead?"

"Your own granddaughter, Gramps." Hinata answered. Everyone called him Gramps or Grandpa, with exceptions, because he was like a grandpa to everyone.

He looked at her, smile wide. "That's awesome!!"

"Okay, okay, break's over, back to work people!!" The director called, sending a sigh through the group.

With waves, smiles and goodbye's they left, leaving the Sannin and his granddaughter to talk.

An arm around her shoulders, he led her away from the group, just in case she'd scream in excitement or squeal and mess up the shot. "So, how's life been? I haven't seen you since you were _**this**_ big." He motioned to about his knee level.

"I know, I missed you so much!!" Kirei replied, hugging him once again. "But," she sighed. "Life's been good. We actually just got back from Suna about a week ago."

He nodded, smiling. "I heard about that. It seems Naruto's not the only one who gets hurt a lot."

She shook her head. "Nope. I get hurt all the time." She was actually proud of getting hurt. If she could bang her knee and not cry out, it was something to be proud of. No pain, no gain, after all.

"And what about _**you**_? You doing okay without Daisuke?" He asked, remembering when he got the news about his oldest Grandson. "I would've come out to see you and help out…"

She shook her head again. "It's okay, Gramps. I'll admit, I have some problems when I talk about him…but, for the most part, I'm okay." She admitted, softly. "Just promise me you won't say his name around anyone."

He nodded, smiling and tousling her hair. "No problem, love." He could understand why. She didn't want someone who didn't know him saying his name. "What's this about that musical of yours?"

She smiled, gasping. "Well, you know how I _**love**_ the Beauty and the Beast?" She asked, referring to the Disney movie, rather than the original story.

He nodded, remembering a few times when her and her brother would visit. "More than you should, but yes, I do."

Giggling, she continued. "The school's musical this year is Beauty and the Beast and seeing as how I love it so much, I tried out for Belle and I got it!"

Smiling at her happiness, he pulled her from his arm, standing her squarely in front of him. "Since you are her, let me see if you're ready for this…"

She stood still, watching him with a smile on her face.

"You're much taller than I remember…very small," He mumbled, seeing how tall she was, yet how tiny her waist was. "Dainty hands, small wrists…and look, you've got boobs!"

Flame rose to her face as she tried to cover her chest by crossing her arms. "_**Grandpa**_!!"

He grinned, chuckling a bit. "Look, you've got the same blue eyes as your uncle! Your hair's a little dark…and what's with this eye-covering thing you've got? Trying to hide those pretty eyes of yours?"

She eyed him first. He always was a perv, but she knew it was all in fun. "It's curiosity, Gramps. If you can't see both eyes of someone, you natural want to brush the bangs away and look." She explained, shaking her hair so that it covered her eye.

Jiraiya arched an eyebrow, smirking a little. "Got your eye on a boy?"

"Nope." She shook her head. "I'm dating Kiba." She pointed to the brunette, standing just outside the film path.

Turning his head, he looked at the brunette, remembering Naruto saying something about him and trouble with Naruto's current girlfriend. "I see. Just watch yourself, okay, frogette?"

She nodded, wondering why everyone told her to be careful with the Inuzuka. "Okay." Yeah, Kiba was a little overprotective and a little flirty with her, but weren't _**all**_ guys like that? She shook it from her mind. "Anyway, since you're here, wanna help me practice?"

Smiling, he asked, "Who would I be? That strapping gent…Gas…Gas – "

"Gaston?" She filled in.

"Yes, him!" He somewhat remembered the gent, the antagonist of the story.

She hmmed, a smile on her face. "I don't know…I was picturing you more as the Beast."

He gaped at her, smiling a bit. "Do I look like a beast _**that**_ much?"

"Yes." She answered with a smile. "But I still love you, Grandpa Froggy."

Glint in his eye, he smiled, picking her up off the ground, getting a happy scream in result. "Well, if I'm the beast, I gotta be a beast!!"

If one thing could be said about Jiraiya, he really committed to his role.

* * *

This was the time of day Sasuke liked; Just when the sun went beyond the horizon, the blue melding into the orange, the cold of night creeping over the warmth of the day.

It was the _**perfect**_ time to walk around Konoha. Families were inside, eating dinner and enjoying the company of those they loved. This made the streets near empty, perfect for someone who liked to walk in near silence.

This walk was different than the raven's normal sunset walks. He was actually going somewhere today, unlike the other days where he'd aimlessly walk. Today, he was going to the Hokage's Mansion, being called there only moments ago by an Anbu.

He almost wondered if Kirei would be there, probably beating Naruto on some video game they played.

Shaking his head and smirking at the thought, his onyx eyes caught something he normally didn't see. He didn't stop walking, but continued at a slower pace. He recognized the brunette immediately, seeing him turn his head just a little, revealing the red fang tattoos of Kiba Inuzuka.

Who he didn't recognize was the girl latched to Kiba's arm. She was a pretty girl, mid-length black hair, brown eyes and a dragon tattoo on her arm.

Suspicion began to creep into Sasuke's mind, but he still watched, gritting his teeth. Was Kiba really cheating on Kirei?

Kiba steered the girl into a small café, one Sasuke was familiar with, picking a seat away from the window, but still able to be seen.

Stopping and watching the two, he mumbled, "The Hokage can wait…" He watched as Kiba paid for the drinks, even bringing them to the table for her. The two chatted for a few minutes, sipping their drinks as well.

Sasuke's suspicions were confirmed when Kiba leaned over and kissed the girl, she kissing back only a moment later.

He came out from hiding, standing at the window and glaring at the brunette until Kiba saw him. Sasuke wouldn't _**ever**_ forgive him for this.

When the brunette looked up and saw the raven glaring at him, his heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. He was in a _**shitload**_ of trouble. "B-babe, I'll be right back." He mumbled, getting up from his seat and meeting the raven outside the café.

Sasuke motioned for him to follow to the outside of the view of the girl in the café. Figuring it was safe, he turned to the brunette, fuming. "You're lucky _**I**_ caught you instead of Kirei." He snapped. "Are you retarded or do you just like taking chances?"

Head hung low at first, he looked up and glared at Sasuke. "You don't even get it, and don't you _**dare**_ insult me." He snapped right back. "Yeah, Kirei's a good girl, but she's _**too**_ good. I mean, I couldn't get anything out of her. She wouldn't even let me kiss her on the lips!"

Growling, arms crossed to prevent fists from flying, he replied. "You aren't _**supposed**_ to get anything, dumbass. I'm not even going to tell you what to do because you're not worth it. I know for a fact you have a date planned with Kirei tomorrow. You better break it off with her in the nicest way you know how or you're going to have a few pissed off ninja on your back." Sasuke snarled, his glare not leaving the Inuzuka once. "And I'll know because I'm picking her up that morning to take her to that musical practice she has."

Kiba sighed. He was caught, branded and jailed. "Fine. But if you like her so much, why don't you go out with her? She obviously likes you."

"…" He did not answer at first, finding a way to answer. "Because she is my friend, first and foremost. I won't let anyone disrupt that."

Kiba scoffed. "And you call _**me**_ the dumbass. You like her, but you won't admit it to yourself. I'm going back in the café." Kiba stalked off, leaving the raven alone.

After a moment, the raven continued his journey to the Hokage Mansion. Although, thoughts began to seep into his mind about the blonde, wondering if he really _**did**_ like her more than what he thought.

Yeah, she was a pretty girl, but there were other girls Sasuke could get as quick as a finger snap if he wanted. To him, friendship was more valuable. If Kirei liked him, so be it. It wouldn't be the first time his friend liked him.

This brought him to remember his relationship with Sakura. They broke up on mutual terms, realizing the relationship came out of the friendship they had and the romantic strains from the show. Not wanting to ruin what they already had, they broke it off.

He compared situations.

Kirei's was a little different. She wasn't an actress like Sakura was. Therefore, relationships from strains in the show wouldn't exist.

So, could Kirei really like Sasuke _**for**_ Sasuke?

Sighing, Sasuke shook his head. He was starting to get a headache.

* * *

"Yo, teme," Naruto said as he answered the door, finding his best friend in the doorway. "You're finally here."

Sasuke nodded, walking into the house he recognized as well as his own. "I was held up." After slipping off his sandals, he looked at the blonde. "Is Kirei here?"

Naruto shook his head, wondering what made the raven bring her up. "No…she moved into the loft, remember?"

"Good." Sasuke said, remembering the loft. "I need to talk to you after this."

Still wondering, yet knowing, he nodded. "Sure. My dad needs to see the both of us, that's why you were called."

He followed the blonde through the wide hallways of the mansion, past the large living room, up the stairs and to the office on the left of the stairway.

Sitting in the office was the Yondaime; papers spread everywhere, hiding the desk from view. He looked rather tired and grave, a sight not many saw.

"Hey dad." Naruto said as he entered with Sasuke close behind.

The Yondaime looked up, setting the papers in his hand down with a smile. "Hey boys. Oh, Sasuke, close the door behind you, please."

Sasuke did as he was instructed, following Naruto's lead, sitting in one of the chairs in the office.

"What I'm about to tell you two is not to be mentioned to _**anyone**_, is that clear?" He asked/commanded, blue eyes looking between the two.

Both nodded, wondering what was going on for the Hokage to be in such a grave mood.

He sighed. "Good. I'm only telling you boys because I trust you both as my "sons"," He always had referred to Sasuke as his adopted son, being that Sasuke was always over the house as a kid. "and as excellent ninja." He sighed once more, this time out of tiredness. "Recently, I've been getting reports from other nations and posts in our own Land of Fire of S-Class Missing Nin terrorizing the areas."

Sasuke and Naruto's minds came to one conclusion; _**Akatsuki**_.

"But dad…" Naruto started off. "the Akatsuki aren't real. I mean, it's only in the show." He brought up a convincing point.

"Yeah," Sasuke began. "I've never heard of them existing outside the show. Of course, I've seen cosplayers, but they're harmless."

The Yondaime regarded both with unwavering, tired eyes. "These ones aren't harmless. They've been attacking people around the countries, wearing the black and red cloaks from the show." He explained. "Now, they haven't hit Konoha yet, but I'm both warning you to keep an eye out. Anything out of the ordinary, you both come straight to me, understand?"

Both nodded.

He nodded as well. "Good. I don't mean to place this burden on you, but I don't want the public knowing. It would be utter chaos if they found out."

"Your secret's safe with us, Minato." Sasuke answered. He was one of the privileged few who were allowed to call the Yondaime by his name.

"Please, Sasuke, you're like a son to me. You _**can**_ call me dad." The Yondaime replied with a tired smile.

"Yeah, it's not like you didn't live here once in a while." Naruto answered, remembering certain occasions where the raven would literally live at the mansion, when his brother was away on a mission and he was too young to stay by himself.

"That's alright. I'll stick to Minato."

Naruto pouted, ribbing him lightly as the two stood up. "You emo."

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders, walking out, waving to the Yondaime as he did.

"Shut the door behind you, Naruto." His father called from his spot at the desk.

Leaving the room and shutting the door behind him, Naruto led the raven back down the stairs and to the living room where a song of Guitar Hero 3 had been paused. "You said you needed to tell me something?" He asked, flopping onto the couch seated in front of the tv.

As always, Sasuke got straight to the point. "Kiba's cheating on Kirei."

"_**WHAT**_?!" Naruto roared, jumping to his feet. "That _**bastard**_!"

Still calm on the outside, Sasuke continued. "I already dealt with it. Apparently they have a date at Kiba's apartment on Friday night. I told him to break it off with her in the nicest way he knew and that if he didn't, I'd know."

Naruto calmed a little, hearing the explanation. "Yeah, cause you're picking her up, right?"

Sasuke nodded. "Yes. I just thought I'd tell you, but keep it from Kirei. If she never finds out, I'm happy."

"Same here." He flopped back on the couch, sighing. "What a day."

Smirking, Sasuke asked, "So I guess I'm showing myself out?" Once Naruto was on the couch, you couldn't get him to move.

He nodded, trying to reach the guitar on the floor without getting up. "I'm too lazy to care today."

Just as Sasuke turned, shaking his head, he heard Naruto continue.

"Thanks for looking out for her."

He shook his head again. "It's no big deal." He walked out of the room with a wave. Night fallen, it was time to head home.

* * *

Kirei sighed, standing at the door of Kiba's apartment. Smiling, she knocked on it, hearing Kiba walk toward the door.

Answering and seeing her, he smiled, ushering her inside. "Hey, come on in."

She walked inside the rather large apartment, the kitchen to her right, the living room right in front of her. Also on the right, passed the kitchen was a hallway, probably leading to the bathroom, his room and a closet or two. "For an apartment, this is really nice." She commented, setting her bag down by the couch.

He nodded, coming up behind her after shutting the door. "Yeah, your cousin's the one who hooked me up with it."

She chuckled. "He's always doing that." Turning to him, she smiled. "So, what are we making tonight?"

This was the reason he'd asked her over for the night. He'd found through conversations that Kirei was a natural cook and cooked _**well**_. "Whatever you want to make that I don't know how to make." He answered, letting her take over his kitchen.

"That means whatever I want." She giggled, preparing the kitchen and table before she started cooking. It was the best way to get a meal done.

He nodded, sitting at the table. They'd already decided that the best place for Kiba was out of the way, since he didn't exactly know what he was doing.

Beginning her cooking, she kept her eyes on the food, but continued the conversation. "Where's Akamaru?" It was hard to not notice the large dog.

"Sleeping." He answered. "Trust me, once he smells the food, he'll be out."

She laughed, using a free hand to beckon him over. "Give me a bit of room to work, but you're fine right where you are. Feel free to ask questions at anytime."

"I can do _**that**_."

Giggling, she nodded, moving down to the sink and washing her hands. "I know."

* * *

Nearly half an hour later, Kiba looked over Kirei's shoulder, watching as the sauce in the pot below lurched when she stirred it.

"See how it's between thick and thin?" She asked, glancing back to him.

He nodded. "Uh-huh."

She took the spoon out, setting it aside. "That means it's almost done." She kept her eyes on it, watching as the sauce bubbled a bit.

"Is it supposed to do that?" He asked with a curious eye.

She squinted at the bubble, wondering if it could –

Yes. It could. And it did.

Hissing at the heat, the bubble in the sauce popped, sending some of it right on Kirei's shirt, burning her. Immediately she jumped and began brushing it off, trying to relief the burning feeling on her skin and maybe save her shirt. "Gaaaah…This is just _**lovely**_…" She mumbled.

During her chaos, Kiba had gone down to his room and came back a second later, button up shirt in hand. "Here."

Still trying to salvage her shirt, she turned, seeing him with an extra shirt. She sighed thankfully.

He smiled. "We can throw your shirt in the wash." He handed it to her, just watching as she slipped it on, buttoned it up and slipped off her ruined shirt from underneath. "…did you just undress in front of me?"

Going back to her sauce, new large shirt buttoned up, she was careful for bubbles. "_**Technically**_." Moving across the stove, she took a different spoon, stirring another pot. "I mean," Still stirring, she looked back at him. "If that's they way you see it."

He gulped, taking a moment before taking the ruined shirt and walking down to his laundry room. Sighing, he thought about what exactly he was going to say to her.

He couldn't just say something frankly, because that might hurt her and then he'd have two very powerful, _**very**_ pissed off ninja on his back. He couldn't _**not**_ say anything, because if Sasuke found out, he'd be pissed.

For Kiba, it was a lose-lose situation.

With another sigh he went back into the kitchen, finding Kirei already done with the cooking, setting the food out and getting her own drink.

The butterflies in Kiba's stomach began to flutter around, making him wring his hands as he sat down across from her. He waited for her to sit before starting. "Kirei, I-I need to talk to you about something."

Setting her napkin on her lap, she looked up at him, hand reaching for her fork. She was unfazed, but wondered about his nervousness. "Are you okay?"

He reached for his fork as well. "Y-yeah, I'm fine." He answered, nodding. He sighed. Why was this so hard?!

"Kiba, I think I know what you're trying to say." She kept her sight on him, sensing he was nervous and how he seemed to squirm under her soft gaze. "The last few days I've noticed something."

Trying as best as he could to stay calm, Kiba was absolutely freaking out on the inside. Before she could go any further, he _**had**_ to say it. He had to get it off his chest, or he'd go nuts. "Can we just – "

"I think we should – "

At the same time, both eyes on the other, they said, "Be friends."

Shocked at the simultaneous words, they sat for a moment, staring in silence.

In the silence, Kirei began to giggle. "I guess you felt it too!"

Kiba blinked. That was _**much**_ easier than he thought. "…So, we're just friends?"

Eating, because if she didn't her stomach would kill her, she nodded. She looked at him, eyes once again soft, yet piercing. "Wasn't that the point? I mean, we both said the same thing, with the same intention…right?"

He nodded quickly. "Yeah, yeah…I just imagined it'd be a little different….that's all…and I didn't want to hurt you…"

After a drink, she smiled. "Are you scared of Naruto? And maybe Sasuke?"

"_**Both**_."

She chuckled, shaking her head. "You know I wouldn't let them do anything to you, Kiba. They're just overprotective."

He nodded, agreeing with her in every way. "Very. You're like their younger sister." He cut off, wanting to mention the thing Sasuke and herself had, but decided against it. In the off chance Sasuke found out, Kiba wouldn't be alive for very long.

She couldn't disagree with the statement. "If you want, when I see the both of them again, I can tell them to lay off you." She suggested, taking her drink once more.

Food in his mouth, he nodded vigorously.

She laughed at his reaction, spying Akamaru as he stretched in the hallway and then walked over, sitting right beside her and watching her eat.

"Akamaru, stop it." Kiba commanded, seeing the dog watch Kirei.

He whined in contest.

Kirei petted his head, reaching up to do so, even though he was sitting down. "It's fine, Kiba."

Kiba sighed. So far, tonight was awesome.

* * *

The next morning, her mind totally shot from staying up so late and then falling asleep in her jeans and Kiba's button up shirt, a sleepy Kirei answered the door, forgetting who it was on the other side.

There stood Sasuke, at first very calm. When he saw a sleepy Kirei, rubbing her eyes of sleep in a button up shirt that was not hers, his eye started to twitch. The first thought through Sasuke's mind was _**not**_ the cleanest of thoughts. He couldn't help himself, she looked _**adorable**_.

It took nearly a minute of standing there, one hand on the side of the door, the other still rubbing her eye, the other eye looking at Sasuke, to realize _**why**_ he was there. Quick as a flash, she turned around, heading for the couch, jumping over the back, landing on it and waking Kiba up, and grabbing her bag. "Oh, shit!" She swore, scrambling to get back up. When she did, she tousled a sleepy Kiba's hair. "Sorry, bud. I gotta get going, or I'm gonna be late! I'll give you back your shirt when I see you at the film grounds, okay?"

Still in La-la-land, Kiba nodded, going back to sleep.

Smiling, she headed toward the door, locking it behind her. "Sorry about that," She apologized to Sasuke, who walked with her. "I forgot to set my alarm." Her bag slung around her shoulder, she raked her hair with her hands, trying to tame it.

Hands in his pockets like always, he shrugged. "It's no problem. At least you woke up." He noticed how his eyes kept drifting back to her, but he tried to keep his eyes straight ahead.

She chuckled, deciding to let her hair go. If it was a mess, let it be. "And you're probably wondering – "

"Why the shirt you're wearing isn't yours?" He finished. "Not really." Lie. Sasuke was _**itching**_ to find out.

She bumped him playfully. "You know you do." She smirked at him, earning a glare from him. "I made dinner and some of the sauce bubbled up and ruined the shirt I had on."

"Why didn't you just put on a different shirt?" He asked, knowing she had another shirt with her in the bag.

She sighed. "I was, actually…but by the time I got some of the sauce off, Kiba already offered his shirt…so, I just took it." Kirei knew she was missing a detail…something important, but couldn't put her finger on it.

With this news, Sasuke began to wonder if the two had broken up. He'd told Kiba that he'd basically kill him if he didn't and that was enough to motivate the Inuzuka, but did he actually do it?

"Oh yeah," Kirei began in the silence. "We broke up too. It was all mutual and we're just friends now. I totally forgot that." She admitted.

He chuckled, shaking his head with a sigh. She'd just forgotten. "You really _**are**_ a Namikaze." He tousled her hair, earning a laugh from the blonde.

She smiled, back at him, his hand still on her head, forcing her down a bit. "I try!!"

Sasuke continued to shake his head, not wanting to remove his hand. Her hair was so soft, almost like silk. "You don't need to."

* * *

Three weeks later, the actors and actresses of Naruto were all sitting together in Konoha High School auditorium, watching the musical unfold in front of them.

It was amazing for them to watch, used to doing a shot over and over until perfect. In a musical, it was a straight shot. If they didn't get it, they had to move on.

They were actors and actresses, but in a live performance, the level had to be taken a step further, aware of every detail, every line, every note. It had to be no less than _**perfect**_.

During the intermission, just after the dance between Belle and the Beast, they all showed their appreciation and praise.

Of course, they had to get past the security guards first.

"Come on," Naruto whined. "My cousin's Belle!"

The guard was unfazed. "And Lumiere's my foot."

They all heard clicking of heels from down the hall. "Fred," Kirei began as she moved the guard out of her way, trying not ruin the beautiful gold ballroom gown she still wore. "That really _**is**_ my cousin, and those are my friends." She explained.

"Don't forget your grandpa!" Jiraiya called out from the group.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Sighing with a smile, she led them in the hallway and out of the crowded lobby. Turning to them, she maneuvered the dress and asked, "So, what do you guys think so far?"

"Oh my god, I can't believe it, it was _**so**_ awesome!! I mean, it just _**blew**_ me away!!" Naruto exclaimed with a smile, full of energy.

This in turn made her smile. "There's still more to go, Nii-san."

"_**OH, I KNOW!!**_" He hugged her, nearly suffocating her.

All full of smiles, Jiraiya came up and hugged her gently, knowing the dress wasn't hers. "You're doing great, love."

She hugged back tentatively. "Thank you." She watched as the group nearly surrounded her.

The girls mainly complimented on the dress and how pretty she looked, with which Kirei replied, "None of it's me. The girls backstage did all of it. One of them even made the dress."

"None of us even _**imagined**_ you had a voice like that, Kirei." Hinata brought up, watching her turn in the dress.

She sighed, unable to stop smiling. "It's just something I've always had, actually. I've never had a teacher or anything…" She felt a little sheepish in bringing it up, being that it made her feel better than her friends and she hated to feel like that.

Cutting compliments and praises short, the bell rung, signaling that intermission would be ending in 2 minutes.

Naruto gave her one last hug, along with everyone else before they departed, ready to see the rest of the musical.

The only one left before she had to go back was Sasuke. "I guess the acting gene isn't just in the dobe."

She smiled, chuckling. "I guess not. You should get back before they shut the doors and you can't get back in." She knew he stayed behind to talk to her, also knowing he wasn't one to talk when a big group was around. It was something he'd always done. "You wouldn't want to miss the ending."

"Even if they lock me out, I have my ways in." He answered with a smirk, onyx eyes unable to leave the captivating blue eyes across from him.

She shook her head with a sigh, still smiling. "You ninja."

Hesitantly, he stepped toward her, doing just as Jiraiya did, gently hugging her. His nerves were like electricity, sparking and in high voltage when he touched her. It wasn't like Chidori, which was _**real**_ electricity; shooting through the nerves…it was different, but Sasuke couldn't place the feeling. "Nice job."

A little surprised by the hug, she hugged him back. "Thank you. Now I need to get back and get out of this dress."

He let her go, watching her wave and walk away, back down the hall and disappear at the corner. He sighed in content – not sure _**why**_ he was content – but walked back to his seat in the auditorium, on the edge of the row, Naruto on his right.

"Well, look who decided to show up." He teased as Sasuke sat down.

"Shut up." Sasuke commanded. "You know I hate crowds."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I know."

A few rows up, behind them, sat three of the Akatsuki; Itachi, Sasori and Deidara. All three were thoroughly impressed with the musical.

It was an art Sasori and Deidara could agree on.

Itachi could actually see what was going on, and smirked. "He's such an idiot."

"Yeah, uh." Deidara agreed, seeing the lights turn low again. "He's more of an idiot than I was."

"I'm not sure someone could be." Sasori insulted with a smile, half-lidded eyes on his blonde.

Deidara looked at him with hurt eyes. "_**Danna**_!"

"Shhh." Itachi shushed them. "It's starting." Although, Itachi's eyes were more focused on his brother than the Musical. He couldn't believe how dense Sasuke was, how he couldn't stop smiling as he watched her.

It certainly was worth the 15 ryu he paid for the seat.

* * *

"Chocolate with sprinkles and hot fudge, please!" Kirei asked, standing at the ice cream shop window.

The clerk behind the window smiled at her enthusiasm. "Small, medium or large?"

An arm slipped itself over her shoulders, a happy blonde butting his way in. "Definatley small."

He nodded, "You got it."

Most of the group had gone home after the Musical, but one very rambunctious blonde begged her cousin to go out for Ice Cream. She was too excited to go home just yet.

Naruto had lapsed, unable to deny Kirei her ice cream.

Strangely enough, Sasuke was with them. He wasn't ready to go home yet, either. At home was a waiting Itachi, questions poised for Sasuke. In need for a relief, he followed the blondes out to Ice Cream.

Standing at the second window, taking more napkins than she needed to, was Kirei, brand new ice cream cone in hand, courtesy of Naruto. She watched as Naruto also got ice cream, but Sasuke declined. "Aw, you're not gonna get some?" She asked as both walked over to her.

"I don't like a lot of sweets." He replied, hands in pockets, normal unemotional look on his face.

Kirei couldn't believe it, staring at him with wide eyes, nearly dropping her ice cream, trying to speak. "Bu…bu…" All that came out were fragments of words.

Maneuvering her to a table before her ice cream fell and he had to buy her another one, Naruto tried to help her understand. "Yes, Kirei, he doesn't eat sweets."

Sasuke looked at her shocked look and then to Naruto. "Why does that matter?"

"…Well…" Naruto started off, trying to find a way to explain it. "Kirei has…a sweet tooth."

"Nut-uh, I have a sweet _**mouth**_!" She corrected, almost forgetting Sasuke's comment, while taking large swipes of her ice cream. She couldn't fathom that someone didn't eat sweets, only because she lived on them.

Now Sasuke understood. The girl enjoyed sugar. He should've guessed. "I guess your blood's made of Chocolate, then."

Glancing over, she smiled. "You bet."

Naruto shook his head, smiling. Why couldn't the two see what they had? "Nee-chan isn't there something you wanted to talk to us about?" He asked, already knowing what it was, but reminding his forgetful cousin.

Confused, she looked at him, blinking a few times. In the moment of silence, she remembered, gasping. "Oh yeah! Sasuke," She regarded him, half focused on the ice cream that was halfway gone. "you know how Thanksgiving's coming up, right?"

Sasuke looked at Kirei first, then Naruto, and back to Kirei. Both were excited, happy and…very bouncy. Not a good combination for him. "…Yes…"

Still focused on the ice cream that was diminishing by the second, she continued, a smile on her face. "Well, after the musical, I got to see Itachi again."

Sasuke scowled. Talking to Itachi was not a good thing. Especially when it was _**Kirei**_ he was talking to.

"And I found that he's going away for Thanksgiving." She glanced at him, still smiling.

"Yeah, he has every year since the show started and he became friends with the other members of "Akatsuki"." He confirmed, nodding as well.

Itachi had done it every year, always worried about leaving his brother alone. He wanted to see his friends, but his younger brother was all Itachi had left and vice versa. Nevertheless, Sasuke couldn't've cared. He was used to being alone.

"That's what he said." She nodded. "So, I just thought I'd ask if you wanted to come to with us for Thanksgiving." She motioned between herself and Naruto. "I'd be cooking."

Sasuke was about to decline, not wanting to bother with company, but when he saw the quite serious look on Naruto's face, he wasn't sure what to say. "…"

Kirei took his silence as a no. "I kinda figured you'd say no." She told him, a ping of sadness in her voice. "But that's okay," She covered up with a giggle. "It's whatever you want to do." She excused herself, ice cream cone over and done with, throwing it out.

"You're such an idiot, teme." Naruto began, sighing. "You realize that she was _**inviting**_ you to her house?"

Sasuke nodded. "Yeah, the loft. I'm just not a people person, you know that." Why was Naruto explaining it to him? He knew Sasuke wasn't social.

He shook his head. "No, not the loft. Her _**old**_ house, stupid. We go there every year and she knew you were gonna be home alone, so she thought she'd invite you." Naruto explained further. "It'd be the three of us, maybe my dad." He added.

This made Sasuke rethink his "answer". She was inviting him into _**her**_ house, almost as if saying she wanted him to know more about her. She was inviting him to understand her.

"Sasuke,"

He looked up at the blonde.

"She's never invited _**anyone**_ before." This Naruto wasn't joking, completely serious. "When she asked me about you coming, it surprised me and she's _**my**_ cousin. She's touchy on her past…but I think she's okay with you knowing it." He went on, watching her walk back. "It'd mean a lot if you came."

Sighing as Kirei sat back down, he quietly mumbled, "I'll come with you guys."

It took a minute for her mind to process what he said, but when she did, she grinned and squealed happily. "Really?"

Keeping his sight from her, he nodded. "Yes…"

She gasped, eyes alive with color. "_**Yay**_!!" She cried, reaching over and hugging the raven.

Not suspecting it, nor knowing what to do, Sasuke tried his absolute hardest not to blush. It was hard because to him, her touch was like electricity, even though he couldn't figure out why.

Watching the scene before him, Naruto laughed liked no tomorrow. It was funny to watch the raven squirm when usually he was calm and collective.

One thing was certain to the blonde: It was going to be a fun thanksgiving this year.

* * *

"So, _**where**_ are we?" Sasuke asked as he walked along a small market, Naruto beside him, Kirei running around the market, picking up things she needed.

"Takami; a small village a couple hours outside Konoha." Naruto answered, walking with him but keeping a keen eye on Kirei, making sure she didn't get too far ahead or get lost in the crowd of the market. For being small, it was busy.

Looking around, Sasuke could see that it was small, although it seemed very friendly, very welcoming. It was almost perfect for a Namikaze. "And where is the house?"

Smirking because he knew what Sasuke did not, he replied, "You'll see."

He looked at the blonde and seeing the smirk on his face, knew something was up.  
Before he got to ask, Kirei ran up to them, holding a few baskets in her arms. "Can I get you two to hold these? I still have some more things to get." She asked, shifting the baskets before they fell.

Naruto immediately grabbed a few, Sasuke grabbing the remaining few. "No problem, nee-chan."

"Thank you both!!" She exclaimed, running off yet again.

"I think this is the first time she's been excited on Thanksgiving since…" Naruto led off, nodding his head and glancing at Sasuke. "You know."

Sasuke nodded in understanding, dodging a dog that ran by him. "Yeah, I heard a little."

"She told you about it?!" Naruto was surprised, to say the least. Kirei never told him about it. He found out some of the details from his father. Two years later, and they _**still**_ didn't know everything.

Again, Sasuke nodded, not wanting to remember the night. "Two words, but other than that, I don't know."

"Unless you ask me or my dad, you won't ever know. She doesn't talk about him at all." He told him, sighing. "But, you're her friend…and _**I**_ think you should know."

Looking over at the blonde, Sasuke was surprised and a little hesitant. Yeah, she was his friend, but did _**she**_ want him to know? If he wanted her to know about his past, _**he**_ would be the one to tell her, not Itachi. "Are you _**sure**_? I don't want to – "

Firm blue eyes looked back at him. "You won't learn any other way."

Sighing, he gulped. "Fine." He listened while watching the happy blonde run around the market, still picking up things she needed.

Naruto thought about where to start with a heavy sigh. He didn't like the story, but he wanted Sasuke to know, just in case something happened at the old house. "I guess you can say it all started with my aunt." He sighed again, blue eyes drifting off to nowhere. "From what my dad tells me, she was a great woman…he sees a lot of her in Kirei."

Sasuke was a little confused. "You don't know her?" If this was his aunt…wouldn't Naruto know her name? Or even _**her**_? Unless she was…

"She died during childbirth." He answered solemnly, watching Kirei. "I never got to meet her."

"Sorry." Was all Sasuke could say, his softening gaze also drifting to Kirei. At least he got to know his mom.

Naruto shrugged, sighing again, trying to remember the details. "From what we know, their dad wasn't all that great…he had a temper."

With the strange tone in Naruto's voice, he looked at him, onyx eyes curious. "He didn't…beat her, _**did**_ he?"

Shaking his head thankfully, he said, "No…Daisuke kept his eye on him." Saying his name, Naruto reminded himself to warn Sasuke. "Oh, and just so you know, don't _**ever**_ say his name in front of her…I made the mistake once and…" The blonde sighed, looking down at the ground. "It wasn't pretty."

Sasuke didn't ask what happened; he didn't want to know. "You got it."

"At nights when he would come home upset, he'd make Kirei sleep in his room and she just became attached to him." He looked up, remembering the first time they met. "I mean, when I first met her, we were about 5…he was…14, 15, I think…jeez, she wouldn't leave his side, always holding his hand…. Kinda like _**you**_ were when I first met you." He stated, looking at the Uchiha, drawing the similarities.

He forced back a smile, scowling instead. "Shut up."

Naruto laughed a bit, but sighed and went back to the story, looking and finding Kirei in the crowd again. "Well, continuing on, we guess that their dad got tired of supporting a family, so he split out, leaving the two of them on their own."

Sasuke shook his head. What kind of dad did that to their _**kids**_?

"And my dad was scared, I remember because I've never seen him freak out like that, because the threat of Child Services loomed…" He nodded, not needing to see Sasuke to know that he was questioning what he said. "Yeah, if Daisuke wasn't 18, Kirei _**would've**_ been adopted."

"…and I would've never met her…" Sasuke mumbled, watching the overexcited blonde run across the market. He felt…depressed at the thought of never meeting her.

Losing count of how many times he'd sighed, he sighed once more, not catching what Sasuke said. "But he was legally 18 and he fought for her. For a while, it was great because he was a ninja, earning pretty good pay, you know."

Sasuke nodded. Being a ninja had a nice pay, very nice.

"After that, it gets kinda blurry because we weren't there." He looked at his cousin with soft eyes. "Only Kirei knows exactly what happened…we just know bits and pieces. From what we can tell, he got hurt on a mission two years ago and at the hospital they were out of morphine."

Sasuke had a looming feeling that he knew where this was going, remembering her "Accidental Overdose" answer. He listened quietly.

"So, like _**any**_ hospital would, we guessed that they used Heroin for a substitute." Obviously, his comment was sarcastic. What hospital in their right mind used _**Heroin**_? "We think that slowly, he became addicted to it…and one morning…She," He nodded to the blonde that moved to one of the last stands. "found him."

Sasuke winced. It was hard enough to have the person who raised you dead, but to have to _**find**_ them dead? Not easy at all.

"When we arrived that day…she was absolutely _**gone**_…I mean…she was _**nothing**_…" He remembered it vividly, unable to get rid of the sight from his mind. "Her eyes were just…blank…staring at the floor and so quiet…I mean, if I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't believe it."

"I'm not sure I can." Sasuke stated, unable to picture her as emotionless, like he was.

He nodded. "It's hard to picture, seeing her happy everyday. We tried to get her back to normal…but…she just ran away. Only a few months ago, I got a letter from her, saying she wanted to live here and…here she is."

Coming up to the two very depressed ninja, Kirei was all smiles, having gotten the rest of what she needed. "Okay boys, shopping's done!" It didn't take her long to notice the solemn look on their faces. "What's with the faces?"

Naruto shook it off, putting a smile on his face. "Nothing, nee-chan. Are you ready?"

She nodded, excited because she also knew what Sasuke didn't. "Let's go!!"

Watching the two blondes walk off, Sasuke followed with a better understanding of Kirei. He made sure _**never**_ to bring it up again, unless she wanted to.

* * *

"Damn it," Sasuke mumbled, a branch hitting him straight in the face. "Where the hell is this house?!" He shook a few leaves from his hair.

Giggling, Kirei looked back at him. "A couple hours away from here."

"…what?"

She nodded, Naruto on her other side, nodding as well. "Yep. It's all forest out here."

He was still incredulous. "…then how are we getting there?"

Seeing the two smirk and Kirei giggle, Sasuke felt his heart fall. He was in for it, wasn't he?

With one word, Sasuke knew he was being tortured today.

"Horseback."

As Naruto moved a bush out of the way, he found a small clearing and two grazing horses.

At the sound, both picked up their heads.

Kirei set down her things, calmly walking over to the two. "Hi, babes." She cooed softly, letting them come to her.

The first to touch her outstretched hands was huge, towering over her by a good 2 ft. He was mainly black, a white stripe along his nose and head, the top covered by his shaggy black hair. The same shaggy black hair covered his bent neck, some of it resting on his huge shoulders. His legs were just as muscular as his shoulders and back, part of them covered by white "feathers", black hoofs protruding from the white fur. If anything could be said about this horse, it was that if he wanted something, he _**got**_ it.

His large size made him very intimidating to Sasuke, who stared half in awe, half in fear of the horse. He also found himself in awe of Kirei, who wasn't even scared of him, letting him push his head over her shoulder, as if he was hugging her.

The other horse was not as intimidating as this one, much sleeker and smaller. He wasn't as tall as the other, his shoulder meeting Kirei's height. He was almost an invert of the black horse, mainly white, a black muzzle that traveled up the flat part of his face, his hair a soft black, almost grayish. He did not have the sheer muscle like the other, but you could still see muscle on his legs, the bottoms an inverted V pattern of black, followed by white and finally meeting to his black hooves.

This one was also with Kirei, head on her other shoulder. "It's good to see you too, baby." She cooed again, petting both of them.

Getting her attention, the black one's ears perked and he removed his head from her shoulder, looking directly at the new person, already knowing the blonde who approached the white horse; Sasuke.

He couldn't look away from the horse's gaze, as if it was holding him there, intimidating him.

Kirei followed the line of sight from the horse and smiled when she saw a rather daunted Sasuke looking back at the horse. She chuckled, bringing the horse to look at her. "Be nice."

"_**Scared**_, Sasuke?" Naruto chuckled, seeing the rather shocked look on the raven's face.

Sasuke shook, closing his eyes to break himself from the trance and growling. "Shut up, that horse is _**huge**_!"

Naruto nodded. "I know…I was the same way when I first saw him."

He looked back, seeing Kirei walk towards them, the two horses trying to follow her.

She made them wait for her, standing in front of Sasuke. "Come on." She said softly, blue eyes locking onto his, reassuring him as her hands waited for his. Her smile reassured him further.

But still…those things were big…_**huge**_…especially the black one.

"It's _**okay**_, Sasuke."

He sighed, eyes slipping closed and opening again. He took her hand, letting her lead him toward these creatures.

She smiled, the grip on her hand tightening the closer they got. She chuckled when they met them, Sasuke staying behind her, almost as if he was using her as a shield. "Sasuke, this is Raven." She said, motioning with her head, her hands occupied, to the large black horse. "He's a Shire Draft horse, the reason for his large size."

He nodded, onyx eyes large, latched onto the horse. His heart rate raced, nerves shocked with electricity as her hand rose, his attached to hers. It moved up and neared the head of this large horse. "_**K-Ki – **_"

"It's okay, Sasuke." She reassured further, letting his hand touch the horse's muzzle, her hand right with his.

Raven in reaction burred softly, moving his head up and down a bit.

This made Sasuke pull his hand back.

Kirei giggled at his child-like reaction, seeing Naruto with the other horse. "It's alright, Sasuke…he won't hurt you."

"But…he's…_**huge**_…" He managed to speak, seeing the horse step toward him, reaching his head out to sniff him. Sasuke stiffened, letting the horse do what it wanted.

He continued to watch as the sniffing nose neared his face, nipping at his bangs and tugging at them.

This was when Kirei intervened, pushing Raven away. "Raven, you know better." She commanded, putting herself between the two. "So, to answer your question, Sasuke," She turned to him, sighing. "we're riding these two boys, Raven and Falcon."

"…_**we**_?" He asked.

She nodded, hands reaching up around the horse's head. Of course, with him towering over her, he had to dip his head a bit so she could reach. "Yes. Their saddles and bridles are over here," She pointed to a very well hidden shed to their right. "but, I'm guessing from your reaction you've never ridden a horse?"

He shook his head vigorously.

She could see his answer in the corner of her eye. "Okay then," She said with a sigh, letting the horse go and walking toward the shed.

Raven nickered softly, following her.

Sasuke also followed her, careful to keep her between Raven and himself. He swore the horse was giving him the evil eye. He kept to the side as she pulled saddles, brushes, bridles and more things Sasuke didn't know out of the shed, Raven poking his head in, nibbling on Kirei's hair, shoulder, and back.

She would laugh and push him away, in which he'd come right back. "Since you aren't an experienced rider, you'll ride with the most experienced."

Sasuke automatically assumed it was Naruto he would ride with. He watched as Naruto stalked over, Falcon following him as well, only to be diverted by Kirei in walking out of the shed.

"I know Raven's a bit intimidating," He began, standing next to the raven. "But he's just protective. These were _**his**_ horses." He stressed, whispering so Kirei wouldn't hear.

Sasuke nodded, understanding. They were once Daisuke's horses and as he watched Kirei prepare the horses for their ride, the question came up in his mind. Kirei hadn't outright said who he would be riding with; just saying it was the more experienced rider.

He wasn't sure why, but he hoped it was Kirei. There was just something about her that drew him in…like a fly to a fly light…but he couldn't place his finger on it. If he did go with her, he'd feel absolutely awkward, having to hold her to keep balance. In thinking this, his hope for riding with Kirei grew.

Yet, he also hoped it was Naruto. After all, the two had been friends _**forever**_. They'd have more to talk about and Sasuke wouldn't feel the way he felt with Kirei, a little jumpy and nervous.

With a sigh, he brought himself to ask. "Who's the more experienced rider?" He looked to Naruto, half hoping he'd say it was him.

Picking up a saddle with a huff, Kirei flipped her hair out of her face, smiling at him. "I am."

Sasuke's day just got a hell of a lot better.

* * *

The horses saddled up and ready to go, Sasuke watched as Kirei stood on the second lowest board of a small fence set up, Raven standing patiently as she swung her leg over Raven's back, her hands holding the saddle as she sat in it, gently grabbing the reins.

Moving him backwards a bit, she looked down at Sasuke. "Your turn." She smiled, holding out her hand.

He stared at it like it was going to kill him. He was _**not**_ getting on that horse even _**if**_ Kirei was on it.

She sighed, moving the antsy Raven. "Seriously, Sasuke," She held out her hand again. "It's okay if you're nervous. I've ridden Raven for years and I know how to handle him. You'd be safer with me than you would with Naruto." She assured, pointing over to the already mounted blonde.

He nodded as well, letting Falcon get used to the saddle again. "She's right, Sasuke. I don't remember when she wasn't on a horse."

He sighed. Her words made him feel a _**little**_ better. "Okay." Copying Kirei, he stepped up on the fence, mounting Raven and sitting right behind Kirei.

A smile on her face, she reached behind her, grabbing his hands as Raven stood still. "Now, because he's so large, there's a _**chance**_ that you could fall off, since you're feet aren't in the stirrups, like mine are." She motioned to her feet, sitting in the stirrups of the saddle, securing her. "So, you need to hold onto me, okay?" Gently, she set his hands on her waist, making sure there wasn't a chance of him falling off.

Sasuke stared at her, actually her waist, which his hands now rested on. His first reaction was to remove them – not wanting to be called a perv, although she had _**allowed**_ him – but as Raven started moving at Kirei's click, he kept them on. The jerk forward made him clench her waist just a little tighter.

She chuckled, glancing back toward him. "You're such a scaredy cat."

He tried desperately to keep his Uchiha demeanor, blocking out how high they actually were, where he was and who he was touching. "Shut up."

She chuckled again. "It's okay, Naruto was the same way when he first rode Raven too."

"Hey, don't talk about me!!" Naruto shouted, coming up beside them, giving a warning glare to Sasuke.

Sasuke brushed it off, his fear of the horse was predominate over Naruto's fear of Sasuke falling for her.

"I mean, I'm right here!" He whined further.

"Branch." Kirei said, ducking for the branch, Sasuke following her motion. "And we talk about you all the time, Nii-san. Does it matter if you hear it or not?"

"No." Sasuke answered before either of them got the chance.

The blondes looked at each other; Kirei was on the brink of laughing, Naruto was still glaring.

"But we still love you, Nii-san."

"_**You**_ do." Sasuke mumbled, only loud enough for Kirei to hear.

Naruto wondered why his cousin began laughing and looking over, he found her in smiles, not unusual, but Sasuke also with a smile. He really began to question if Sasuke did like her.

In his own bubble, Sasuke contemplated setting his head on Kirei's shoulder, somewhat tired. The continuous bumps and motion of Raven's footsteps, the birds singing somewhere in the distance, yet close to them and the periodic sunlight made a person sleepy. Plus, for once in his life, he was _**relaxed**_ enough to sleep. After the incident years ago, sleep never came easy for the younger Uchiha.

He was brought out of his bubble by three little, but very powerful words.

Kirei had a sly smile on her face, eyes devilish. "Nii-san," She glanced at him, keeping her eyes on the path as well. "Wanna race?"

Looking over at him, Naruto had that same sly smile which meant one thing.

"Oh, hell yes!!"

Before they started, he noticed Kirei's eyes on him, at least her one eye on him. "…yes?" He was scared to ask.

Smiling, she said, "You're gonna need to hold on a lot tighter than _**that**_."

His heart rate started to quicken, eyes just a bit wider. "Wh-what?"

She sighed, still smiling. Never seeing this "child-like" side of Sasuke, she found it rather cute. "In a race, we go…well…fast, obviously,"

"Never would've guessed that." He added.

She disregarded it, her smile growing. "and I don't want you falling off and getting hurt. I can't save you like how you save me. So, you need to hold on tighter." She explained, quite serious.

"Okay." He replied, gripping her sides tighter.

Smiling, she shook her head. "Not like that."

"Than how – " His eyes widened when she grabbed his right hand, wrenching it the whole way around her waist, setting it on her left side. This also jerked the Uchiha closer to her.

"Like that." She answered, trying not to giggle. Her sides were the only spots where she was ticklish. "I'm not taking _**any**_ chances."

Sasuke had to remind himself to breathe.

Coming up to a fork in the path, Kirei steered Raven to the right, smirking. She halted him as Naruto came up to the left side.

"You ready to get your ass kicked?" He asked, grinning.

"As ready as you are to stop eating ramen." She replied, chuckling as she held back an antsy Raven.

He was ready to run _**full**_ blast.

"You're still better at comebacks." Sasuke mumbled into Kirei's shoulder, hoping to God he wasn't blushing. Close contact with anyone made him blush, especially if it was a girl. And Kirei was most definitely a girl.

She smiled. "Ready?"

"Steady." Naruto replied.

Simultaneously, the two shouted, "_**Go**_!"

At the call, Falcon did what any thoroughbred did, what they were bred to do; he snorted, as if he was smiling, blasting off down the trail.

Nearly the same time elapsed as Raven neighed loudly, lifting both front hooves and rearing. He was plainly excited.

When his hooves hit the ground thundering, Kirei was laughing, although she didn't have as much air as she was used to.

Someone had a death grip on her waist, head buried into her shoulder.

It was definitely cute the way he did things. Very, very cute.

* * *

As the race went on, Sasuke's death grip on Kirei began to loosen, ever-so-slowly. The motion of Raven wasn't that bad; he'd gotten used to it easily.

"Comfortable?" Kirei asked, not taking her eyes off the trail, although she knew it like the back of her hand.

"A little bit." He answered, following her movements as she dodged branches and leaned when Raven turned. "And I'm not scared."

She chuckled. Just like an Uchiha. "I never said you were. I just called you a scaredy cat."

Blinking and thinking back, he realized she was right. "Well, I'm not." He could feel her laugh, loosening his grip a little. He didn't want to strangle her, after all.

"I know you aren't." She said calmly, slowing Raven down with a small tug at the reins. "I want you to see something." Turning to the right a little, Raven began to travel uphill, head a little low. "Other than my shoulder."

He smirked, glaring at her. "Why is that whenever you're around I get roped into stuff that could _**possibly**_ kill me?"

"Cause you love it."

"…" Sasuke was silent, wanting to bury his face in her shoulder again. He couldn't tell if he was blushing or not, but he didn't want to take the chance. So, he tried to think of something, anything other than who he was sitting with.

He failed horribly. Just having her with him, in his grasp, her vanilla-like scent flooding his nostrils was more than enough for his thoughts. At least her hair was clipped back, keeping the silk feeling from his skin.

Throughout his thoughts, he'd failed to notice that Raven had stopped.

He heard Kirei sigh. "_**This**_ is what I wanted you to see."

Sasuke didn't need to look far as Raven was standing on the edge of a cliff, letting the three look to the right. His eyes widened a little, grip loosening as he straightened up a bit.

Before him was a sight not many would witness in their lifetime.

It was a lush green valley, trees in clusters as well as dotting the landscape, mountains in the faded background, their snowcaps gone and melted into the river below. The sun seemed to christen the land, bringing about the colors below. Even from this distance, Sasuke could point out the small house, a large paddock and barn in the back. It was like…_**paradise**_.

"My brother showed this to me, just like I'm showing it to you." Her blue eyes scanned the area with a soft and gentle look, voice very soft.

"You guys _**own**_ this?" He asked softly, amazed.

She sighed softly, nodding. "My father's clan owned it, but as soon as he left us, we were informed that it had been passed down to us…and I begged my uncle to keep it."

Her soft demeanor had brought him to look at her, rather than the sight. For a minute, it didn't seem like she was a Namikaze at all, too quiet and soft, onyx eyes tracing the depths within the blue eyes and the smile on her lips.

When she caught him looking, she felt her smile grow. "What?"

He smiled and kept looking.

She could feel a blush rise into her cheeks and finally looked away from him, jerking Raven forward. Smiling, she could still tell he was looking at her. "Stop it."

"Stop _**what**_?" He asked, setting his head on her shoulder. It was cute to see her flustered and all he had to do was look at her. She made it _**all**_ too easy for him.

"Stalking me." She replied with a giggle.

"For me to stalk you, you would have to not know about it and we couldn't be right next to each other." He replied. "And as of the moment, I'm not letting you go."

She sighed, a smile on her face, shaking her head. "Well, don't get any ideas."

Going back down the hill they came up, an idea did pop into Sasuke's brain. It had nothing to do with stalking, despite the fact that stalking her might've been a good idea. "Hey," He asked, seeing her loosen the reins as Raven started a trot, making the ride a bit bouncy. "Can I try to…" He looked for the right word to use. "steer?"

She nodded. "Of course you can."

He removed his arms from her waist, yet found himself unsure of where to hold the reins.

She knew this, holding the reins in one hand as he other guided his hands on where to set them. "Right there. Now, just keep the reins loose…Raven doesn't like it tight."

Keeping his head on her shoulder, eyes on the trail, he did as she said, lowering his hands a bit to loose the reins. It wasn't as bad as he thought it was…it was actually rather _**easy**_ to control the horse.

Using her legs to keep her steady, hands on the saddle, she smiled. "Fast learner, are we?"

He nodded, glancing at her. "Yes."

Suddenly, she became alert, reaching into a pocket on the saddle, pulling out a strange looking device, looking almost like a cell phone. Sliding it open, an alarm was going off.

"What's going on?" He asked, taking glances at her and the device, as well as keeping an eye on the trail.

Turning the alarm off and setting the device back in the pocket, she sighed. "I have to take over." She shook out her hands, taking the reins from him and turning Raven around. "Just like with Naruto, I used to race with my brother and after a while, we noticed the wolf population rising. The alarms signals two things, depending on which alarm. One alarm will tell us if Naruto has passed us and the other will signal when the wolves are tracking us." She explained, looking around them, hands not as relaxed as before.

He noticed her hands. "And which one did we get?"

Glancing back at him with very serious, yet almost excited eyes, she said, "_**Both**_."

* * *

"If you have any kunai or shuriken, now would be a _**great**_ time to have them out." Kirei spoke, leading Raven back up the hill just in case.

He stayed silent, not wanting to tell her he didn't have his weapons with him for once. The only time he didn't have them, something happened. _**Great**_.

"Kirei…are you…scared?" He asked, hearing branches crack from behind them. Looks like the wolves were following them after all.

"A little bit." She spoke with a nod. "But, I'm also worried…and maybe a bit excited."

He arched an eyebrow. "Excited?" With the danger of wolves that were bound to be huge in an area as big as this, how could someone be excited?

With a smile, she explained. "I haven't had to use all my training against these wolves for a long time. And lucky you, you get to see it." She turned back toward the trail, noticing a few bushes along the side rustling. "Hold on tight, okay?" She felt his grip tighten as the wolf in the bush jumped out. Anticipating this, she pulled on the right rein as hard as she could, Raven following and pivoting to his right, avoiding the jumping wolf by inches.

Sasuke watched as the wolf missed the both of them and his vision blurred for a second as Raven pivot turned, spurned into a gallop as he centered back on the trail after turning 360. He was glad he had a hold of Kirei.

"Hey," She began, leading Raven through the trees, turning swiftly as they galloped. "you trust me…right?"

Confused at the question because he thought it was rather obvious, he nodded. "Of course, or else I wouldn't be on this horse right now."

She sighed heavily. "_**Good**_."

"Why? What are you – " He watched with wide eyes as they found their way back to the cliff and with a few wolves hot on their tail, jumped off it. Adrenaline running, he was surprised when he felt Raven land.

But how could he? They just jumped off a cliff!!

"Look down." Kirei said, knowing his confusion. She already knew that below the cliff, what you couldn't see was a pillar of rock. While he figured this out, she looked up at the circling wolves, who whined and cried at the loss of their next meal. "Take _**that**_!"

"You Namikaze's are _**crazy**_." Sasuke mumbled. "Whenever I think I have you figured out, you pull some new stunt that makes it more confusing."

Smiling as she led Raven down the spiraling pillar, she felt great. "That's my job."

Reaching the ground, or close to it, she spurred Raven into a gallop, jumping off the rest of the pillar, leading him home.

"We've still got a race to win!!"

Sasuke sighed, shaking his head, his stomach killing him from the bounces.

Why was it that his closest friends were absolute _**nutcases**_?

* * *

It had been 20 minutes since Kirei and Sasuke arrived at the medium sized house. After Kirei had helped a clueless Sasuke dismount and then dismount herself, she unloaded the materials on Raven, also taking off his equipment, leading him into the paddock and setting his saddle on the fence.

Once this was done, they headed inside, Kirei taking only a few minutes to show him around the first floor, leaving the second floor for later. They came in through the porch, the kitchen the first room he saw, which was connected to the living room and the stairs that led upstairs. Attached to the living room other than the kitchen was a small entrance, which Sasuke figured was where the front door was. Directly back from the front door was the dining room, presumably where they'd be eating later tonight. The only other rooms on the floor were a bathroom, a jacket closet and a game room.

Sasuke occupied himself for the time Kirei spent in the kitchen, getting everything ready on her own, giving him time to relax. He thought it strange, for a house that wasn't lived in anymore, it was still very comforting and clean. He wondered how it stayed so clean, so without any sound from the kitchen, he figured she was finished and went in to ask how it stayed clean.

When he walked into the kitchen, he couldn't hold back a smile.

Kirei had without a doubt finished getting dinner ready and now, she sat at the island in the middle of the medium sized kitchen, arms folded on the table, head on her arms, fast asleep.

Sasuke held back a chuckle, finding her predicament rather cute. What was it about girls and sleeping that was so _**cute**_? Maybe because they weren't scheming when they were sleeping, just very calm…and adorable. With a happy sigh, he walked over as quiet as he could, taking a look at her before deciding not to wake her.

Instead, he moved the other chair out of the way, picking the sleeping Kirei up bridal style, the easiest way to carry her without waking her.

As he held her, Kirei sighed heavily, snuggling up to him as much as she could in her position.

Sasuke watched her, seeing the smile on her face. He wondered if maybe she was _**faking**_ to be asleep, but when she settled down, he realized she really was asleep. So he took her into the living room, lying her gently on the couch.

She didn't curl up or stretch out, choosing to do something of a mix of the two.

The last thing he did, a smile still on his face, was taking the blanket on the back of the couch, unfold it and set it on her, bringing it up to her shoulders and taking the clip out of her hair. He was okay with doing all of this, something a good friend would do for a friend.

As he watched her sleep, he reached out to brush some of her bangs behind her ear, but hesitated. Would a friend do that? And if he did, would it wake her up? All of this, he wasn't sure about, so he let it go. Plus, Naruto would be back sometime soon and if Naruto caught him, he'd get the wrong idea.

"…Sasuke?"

Already seated in the chair diagonal from the couch, he looked over at Kirei, finding her somewhat awake, looking at him. "Go back to sleep, Kirei." He said softly, tousling her hair gently.

Closing her blue eyes and curling up with the blanket, she mumbled softly. "…mmkay…"

Sleeping girls were very cute creatures.

With a sigh, Sasuke found it hard to tear his eyes away.

* * *

Nearly half an hour passed before Naruto arrived, in which Sasuke had found a book to at least make it _**look**_ like he was preoccupied. His real attention was with the blonde sleeping on the couch.

She had since rolled over; still somewhat curled up, her face buried half into the pillow, half into the back of the couch.

He couldn't help but look over and smile every time she sighed, moved or whined in her sleep. The first time she had whined, he'd looked over, thinking she was awake. He figured it was something she always did, hearing it a few more times. Sighing himself, he found it _**really**_ cute.

"Nee-chan? Sasuke?" Naruto called from the porch, hearing the silence in the house. With Kirei, silence was impossible, unless she was sleeping. Walking further, through the kitchen and into the living room, he stopped and smiled, seeing her asleep on the couch.

Looking over at Sasuke, he found the raven already looking at him. "Sleeping long?" He asked quietly, walking up to her.

Sasuke nodded, watching him move some of her bangs out of her face and place a kiss on her forehead. "Half an hour or so."

Naruto nodded, crouching down. "Sweetie…" He smiled, shaking her shoulder as gently as he could. "Sweetheart…"

Kirei sighed deeply, rolling over just a bit to face her cousin, eyes partially opened. She blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes, seeing Naruto smile at her. "Hi, nii-san…"

"It's close to dark…you should go out and do the horses before it gets dark, mmkay?" He told her, brushing away the bangs that fell across her face.

Rolling back over and closing her eyes, she didn't say anything, just mumbled. "Mm-hmm."

Chuckling, Naruto tousled her hair and stood up, motioning for Sasuke to follow him.

Sasuke was going to follow him, just after he got another glance, setting the book down on the table.

Kirei took another moment, before stretching her hands above her head, her legs also stretching out and toes curling, while she took a deep breath, yawning and whining again.

Oh, Kirei was just _**too**_ cute. With a sigh himself, a smile on his face, he followed Naruto out into the kitchen, further following the blonde to the porch outside. "Have a fun ride?"

Naruto laughed, looking at the raven as he sat down on the porch steps. "I should ask you that, teme."

Sitting beside him, he sighed. "It was…" He looked for the right word. "_**Interesting**_."

"She took you over the cliff, didn't she?" He asked with a laugh in his voice.

Sasuke ruffled his brows a bit. "How did you – ?"

He chuckled. "She did the same with me a few years ago. It's kinda like a…rite of passage to her."

Hearing the door slide open, the boys both found a sleepy Kirei walk out, past the two of them, jumping down the steps and heading off to the barn. "I'll be right back!"

Watching her go down to the paddock and jump over the fence, Sasuke asked, "What is she doing?"

"Taking the horses in and cleaning them up, feeding them, stuff like that." Naruto explained, also watching her. "See, the wolves around here get meals, but they like to go after the horses. Of course, they can take care of themselves – "

Sasuke shook his head, seeing Raven gently nudge Kirei in the back as she walked him to the barn. "No kidding."

Laughing, Naruto continued. "But she still worries about them…so she'll take them in early to make sure they're okay. I mean, they're super important to her."

Sasuke nodded. "Yeah, I know."

Sighing while he watched his cousin, Naruto had a rather important question to ask. "When you picked her up a few weeks ago…when she broke up with Kiba, she wasn't upset, _**was**_ she?" He had to know and also had something to tell.

"No…she was okay with it." Sasuke answered, watching as Naruto sighed again in relief. "Jeez, you're really worried, aren't you?" He'd only ever seen Naruto genuinely worried a few times in his life, because he was confident in a lot of people and things.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah…see, what I didn't tell you before, but I planned on is something even _**she**_ doesn't know." He motioned down to Kirei, who was having trouble keeping Raven in his stall.

When she'd get him in, he'd unlock it with his teeth, push open the door and follow her. This resulted in a smile and her pushing him back in.

It was silent for a minute before Naruto sighed again. "I had my reasons for making that rule, you know. I mean, I'm not gonna keep her from dating you guys without a reason. Most of you _**aren't**_ a bad bunch."

Sasuke listened in silence, looking at the blonde, out into the view and at the barn. It was hard to look at Naruto, seeing as how worried and upset he was. Sasuke had only seen him like this once and even then, he didn't know how to help.

"It's just…" He buried his head in his hands. "A few days before…" He led off, skipping the death of his cousin. "He called me."

Sasuke's attention was drawn, looking down at Naruto.

Looking up a bit from his hands, Naruto gave the hardest glare he had to the raven. "If you tell her _**any**_ of this, best friend or not, you're _**dead**_."

He gulped first, knowing Naruto's threats were to be taken seriously. "…never."

"Good." He said nodding, bringing his head up. "I couldn't tell what was wrong with him at the time…When I think about it now, he was probably high…but he made me promise me that if she ever came to live with me, I'd never teach her anything about ninja's…or get her involved with them."

Sasuke began to understand the ruling the blonde made.

Looking down, he diverted his sight to the raven beside him. "I think he knew he was going to die, Sasuke." He said gravely, waiting a few minutes to watch Kirei, then hanging his head and looking at his feet. "And when I saw her that day…I didn't recognize her…at _**all**_."

Sasuke couldn't hear it, but he saw tears coming from Naruto's eyes. He'd already realized the extent of the blonde's words, his tears burning it in Sasuke's mind.

"So, that day, after everyone left the grave…I promised him that I'd never let her relive her worst nightmare…because truthfully," He finally picked up his head, looking at her, crying. "I'm not sure she'd come back from it."

Sasuke found himself at a loss for words, his sight torn away from the crying blonde to the one who soon approached. It looked like she was finishing up.

Shaking his head and drying his eyes, Naruto sniffled. "Fucking shit…" He wiped an eye with his palm. "Just promise me that if she asks anything about it…you won't tell her anything."

Reaching out and patting the blonde's back, he nodded. "I won't." He paused before continuing. "Plus, I'm not sure _**you'd**_ come back from it."

"Shut up. I can be emotional, you emo bastard." He chuckled, still sniffling. "Thanks, Sasuke."

"No problem." He answered, removing his hand as Kirei walked up, smiling.

All smiles, she didn't fail to notice her cousin's red eyes. "So, who wants to eat?"

"_**ME**_!!" Naruto cried, jumping up. "I'm starving!!"

"You _**always**_ are, dobe." Sasuke stood up as well.

He glared at the raven. "I can't help it! I've got a metabolism – "

"Higher than the stratosphere, we know." Kirei finished for him, bringing his glare to her. "Don't look at me like that, I control who gets the food." She wagged her finger at him, walking up the stairs backwards.

His demeanor changed almost instantly, following his cousin like a lost puppy. "I _**love**_ you, nee-chan!!"

Laughing, she nodded. "I know you do." Glancing back, Sasuke was also following her, stoic as usual, but she couldn't stop herself. "What, I've got _**two**_ love struck puppies following me?"

Sasuke scowled at her playfully. "I am _**not**_ a puppy."

"No, you're a hideous emo monster we should all run from!!" Naruto yelled at Sasuke, glaring at him.

Narrowing his now red eyes, a smirk on his face, he locked eyes with Naruto. "I think the only one who should be running is _**you**_."

Kirei shook her head and laughed as Naruto jumped off over the roof, running off to who-knows-where. She went inside, still somewhat sleepy and very hungry. Although, she could still hear footsteps behind her. "Still stalking me?" She asked with a smile, heading inside.

"No."

"I thought you were chasing my cousin." She added, seeing as how Sasuke followed her inside.

"Nope. I just scared him so we can get first dibs. He can eat everything else." He answered, shutting the sliding door.

She chuckled, checking on the turkey inside the oven. "Good idea."

* * *

Naruto did eventually come back and get his food, where the three had their Thanksgiving.

The Yondaime had called before hand, letting the three know he wasn't going to be able to make it.

Kirei figured as much, seeing as how it happened every time. She didn't mind, knowing he was a busy man.

Naruto enjoyed their dinner because he was with a cherished family member and a cherished friend. It wasn't always he got to spend time with people he cared so much for.

Even though he didn't smile as much as the two blondes, or say as much, he enjoyed it as much as both of them. He'd remembered times ago when he would have a family dinner like this…but he'd forgotten how much he'd missed them. It was obviously not his own family, but it was a type of family nonetheless and that's all that mattered.

But now, it was night and with bag in hand, Sasuke followed Naruto up the stairs.

"That's the bathroom, in case you need it." Naruto said, pointing to the door on his left. "This next door is the closet for towels and stuff." He pointed to the one on the right.

"Which room are we taking?" He asked, curiosity getting the best of the Uchiha. It wasn't usual for curiosity to overtake him, but he was feeling rather odd today. "This one?"

Naruto set his hand on top of Sasuke's just before he turned the knob. "No one's allowed in that room but Kirei." He said softly. "No, we're taking the guest room down here." He led him down the hall, passing the room he'd stop Sasuke from entering and another room on the left.

This door was open and inside was Kirei, in her pjs; an oversized, maybe even one of Naruto's orange shirts, black boxers while she brushed her hair out, yawning. Even after a nap, she was still tired. She smiled and waved, seeing her cousin and the Uchiha walk past.

He smiled back, following the other blonde. When they entered the room, it was clean, like the rest of the house. "How does this house stay so clean when no one lives here?" He asked, finally getting the chance to.

Leaving the twin sized bed alone, Naruto opened the closet, rolling out two air mattresses for the two of them, using the machine to blow them up. "…I never thought about it." He blinked, throwing pillows and blankets out, some hitting and landing on the Uchiha. "I'll hafta ask nee-chan when she comes in."

"…" Sasuke felt his heart skip a beat. "…she's sleeping in _**here**_?" He asked, eyes a little wider than normal as he watched the blonde plop onto the finished air mattress.

Lying on his back, hands behind his head, he looked at the ceiling. "I'm not sure when, but eventually. It's kinda a thing that happens every year when we come here. She'll sleep in her room for a bit, then wake up and go into Daisuke's room and sleep there, like she used to as a kid." He explained with a sigh. "But, she'll wake up from a nightmare and come sleep in here with me. That's why I left the bed open."

Sasuke nodded, making his bed. He couldn't leave it a mess like Naruto did. "I can understand." Every now and then he still had nightmares.

"It's almost like she's trying to remember what she wants to forget." He said, not confusing the Uchiha in the least.

He knew what it was like. He wanted so bad to forget everything that happened, but yet he wanted to remember it; to cherish the past that meant so much to him.

"If she wakes you up – "

"It's okay." Sasuke cut him off. "I understand." He rolled over, pulling a thin blanket up, not facing the blond.

Naruto took this as Sasuke's "good night" and reached up to the lamp beside him, turning it off and lying back down. "Night, teme."

"Hn."

* * *

A light sleeper, Sasuke was _**sure**_ he heard it.

A door had opened down the hall.

He thought it was the second door that he'd heard, but wasn't sure. So, lying still, eyes closed, he waited to hear if Kirei came into the room.

It was only a few minutes later, but she did come into the room, sniffling. "N-nii-san?" She asked in a hushed voice.

Even though it was hushed, Sasuke could still hear the tears in her voice. He also heard Naruto get up and walk over to her.

"It's okay, sweetie." He soothed, probably hugging her to keep her calm.

Doing his best to pretend to be asleep, Sasuke moved, opening his eye just enough to see them.

Naruto was holding her as she cried into his chest, trying to keep her sobs soft, Naruto petting her hair. "It's okay…" He repeated into her ear. "I'm right here…And Sasuke is too. We won't leave you."

"_**Promise**_?" Her shaky voice asked.

He nodded. "I promise you." He pulled her inside, yet not letting her go.

Drying her eyes as he led her to the bed, she asked softly, "Did I wake you up?"

He shook his head. "No…and Sasuke's asleep…so, you're fine." He opened up the covers for her, letting her crawl inside and lay down, tucking her in. "You get some sleep okay?"

She nodded, half curling up like she did before. With deep blue eyes she watched him kiss her forehead. "Thank you, nii-san."

"Goodnight, nee-chan." He tousled her hair before going back to his own bed, lying on it like he did before.

Although Naruto had gone back to sleep, along with Kirei, Sasuke sighed softly and looked at her.

Lying there, her eyes closed and she curled up, wrapped in her blankets, she was still crying. He couldn't hear her sobs, if she was sobbing at all, more of tears flowing of their own free will.

"I promise you, too." He mouthed to her, going back to sleep.


	7. Resolutions

* * *

**_The Actors_**

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. xD

_Notes/Warnings: _None this chapter. As a note, yes this story has an OC. Yes, it has Yaoi. Yes, the OC is related to someone on the show.

_**DEAL**_.

If you don't like it, don't read or review. Just hit the button that says, "Back" Or the little backspace key on your keyboard.

So, I'm heading on vacation here this Saturday…I won't be on for a least a week T.T. Unless I have Internet connection. I really hope you like this chapter; it was in my mind forever when I was planning this fic. I love Hinata, she's amazing. :D

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Suggestions, comments? Let me know! Thanks for reading, hope you like!

* * *

_Chapter 7 – Resolutions_

* * *

"Sakura…" Hinata asked, standing at the doorway of the kitchen in the Hokage Mansion.

Standing next to her and looking around the room, seeing all of their friends hanging around the unnaturally large living room for the annual Christmas Eve Party at the Hokage Mansion. It had been around since they were children and _**no**_ one missed this party. "Yes?"

A smile crossed Hinata's lips as she spied two people. "Do you see what I see?"

"Where?" Sakura asked, looking at Hinata to find her line of sight and follow it. When she did see what Hinata saw, she smiled. "Oh, yes I do."

Their line of sight had been directed to the tv, where Naruto and Kiba had set up Guitar Hero 3 for people to play. One of the people playing as of the moment was a certain non-sociable raven, who usually despised video games like this.

Of course, because Sasuke hated these games, he had no idea how to hold the controller shaped as a Guitar.

They defiantly saw this, his discomfort and how he stared at the controller in his hands with a, "What the fuck is this?" look on his face. It was something other than his usual stoic look.

But the two girls watched in surprise as Kirei came to help him. It wasn't a strange sight to have the two together; after Thanksgiving, the two were nearly inseparable. Some days, he'd go down to the school and walk with her up to the filming grounds because he had "nothing better to do", as he phrased it.

What was strange was seeing how the raven _**let**_ the blonde help him.

Sasuke never let anyone help him in anything. He liked to figure it out on his own; to know he could get it on his own was a good feeling.

Kirei had seen his confusion with the Guitar controller and made her way over to him, not even bothering to ask if he needed help. She had him crouch a bit, being that he was taller than her, pulling the strap on the controller over his shoulder and around his waist.

She didn't stand in his way of the tv being that he'd need to see it, but stood by the neck of the controller on his left side, taking his hand with both of hers and showing him how to hold the neck and yet be able to press the buttons with his fingers.

Hinata and Sakura could both see how his eyes followed her hands and they could've sworn they saw a small blush on his face.

Kirei showed him how to play, giving him the tips and tricks she'd learned from playing the game herself.

Smiling her devious smile, Hinata continued to watch them. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Sakura?"

"Devious plot # 4?" Sakura asked back.

Turning into the kitchen, she nodded. "Hell yes."

Devious plot # 4 was Hinata's trademark plot. Hinata was, despite her character's portrayal, a very crafty and devious teen. She'd gotten numerous couples together, not to mention her best one yet; herself and Naruto.

So with Sakura's help, they sat at the kitchen table, just the two of them, talking.

"It's super obvious." Sakura stated. "And I'm not surprised he likes her."

Hinata nodded. "Yeah…I felt the same way too. There was just _**something**_ about her." She eyed her pink haired partner in crime. "We need to get them together."

"Agreed."

Looking at her, Hinata remembered just who it was she was talking to. Sasuke's ex. "Are you sure you're okay with it, Sakura-chan?" She asked. "You two _**were**_ dating at one point."

She sighed in response, looking out at the raven who now tried to play, Kirei still with him. "Yeah. We realized it was a relationship strewn from the tensions in the show…and we have a good friendship…so…" She looked back at her clear-eyed friend. "If it can make that poor bastard happy, I'm in."

"Good to have you on board." Hinata smiled, shaking Sakura's hand. "I think the best way for them to realize they like each other is with a kiss."

It was logical. Very logical. "But how are we gonna get them to kiss? Kirei's too oblivious to notice and we just can't _**ask**_ her to randomly kiss him…. Sasuke on the other hand…Well, I think he'd figure it out before anything happened." She sighed. "I swear he's got a Devious Plot Radar."

Looking out at the two, Hinata couldn't believe how oblivious the two were. Every time Kirei laughed or smiled, he'd smile, even if it was just a bit. "That just means we'll hafta be _**extra**_ sneaky…" Hinata's eyes grazed the room. She gasped when she realized the perfect way. "Sakura, we're stupid."

Green eyes confused, brows ruffled, Sakura asked, "Why's that?"

"It's Christmas Eve." She answered, looking at her friend.

Sakrua was still confused. "…_**and**_?"

She smiled, setting her elbow on the table, head in her hand. "Oh come on, you know it. Starts with an, "M"."

Her smile led Sakura to gasp and an evil look took her eyes. "_**Mistletoe**_."

* * *

Hinata took her chance to set up the mistletoe without anyone seeing. Fireworks were held on Christmas Eve, so while the others watched, she snuck inside feigning that she had to use the restroom.

She ducked into the living room, dodging random bags and presents, walking into the Kitchen unharmed.

Knowing where the mistletoe was kept, she grabbed it quickly, pulling a stool over to the doorway. She had to be quick and very quiet.

"Hina?"

She smiled, hearing the voice of her boyfriend, but also cursed. He always wanted to be involved in her plots, but this one was one he couldn't be involved in.

He walked up to her calmly, seeing her try to reach the top of the doorframe, still too short with the stool. "I can smell your scheming from the roof." He took the mistletoe from her hands, placing it on the doorframe.

"_**Scheming**_?" She asked, faking her confusion. "_**What**_ scheming?" She shook her head, smiling. "I'm not scheming, who's scheming?"

Shaking his head and smiling, he pulled her into his arms. "_**Uh-huh.**_ Should I be worried?"

Lacing her arms around his neck, she stayed silent, coy eyes locked with his.

He sighed. "Okay, okay…I won't get involved." Looking up as he held her, his smile turned sly. "Mistletoe."

She giggled, kissing him and christening the newly placed ornament. "I love you, Naruto."

"I love you, you devious girl."

* * *

After the finale of fireworks, the whole group had decided to hunker down and watch a few movies.

Everyone had sat with friends.

Hinata was on one side of Naruto, Kirei on the other. On the other side of Kirei, surprise, surprise, was Sasuke. On the floor below them were Kiba and Akamaru, having moved the coffee table for the large dog. Shikamaru and Temari were on one side of the loveseats, Sakura and Ino on the other side, happy to be single. Kankuro and Gaara had decided to sit on the floor as well, also using Akamaru as a pillow, with Kiba's permission. Chouji had the closest seat to the Kitchen, simply because he wanted it. Shino took a chair closer to the stairs, Neji and Raiha sitting together on a lazy-boy chair because there was no other room.

The movie wasn't all that scary, at least Hinata thought. It was a thriller and it had its thrills…at least, for her. Looking down at Kirei, she frowned a bit.

She wasn't scared out of her mind, but she was scared. It was obvious from the look on her face.

Was her plan falling into her lap, or what? This was all to perfect. "Kirei-chan," She whispered, leaning across her boyfriend to the blonde who jumped at her name.

Kirei calmed herself before looking over.

"Can you get me a drink from the kitchen please?" She asked.

She sighed in relief. She had a reason to leave without people thinking she was horrified. "Sure," She said, smiling at Hinata. "No problem." She got up as quietly as she could, trying to get to the kitchen quickly.

Just as she got into the kitchen, Hinata winked at Sakura, initiating their plan, then going back to the movie. She had to make sure _**no one**_ knew she was behind it.

"I'll be right back." Sakura whispered to her friend, getting up and heading into the kitchen herself.

Kirei turned when she heard someone else enter, and smiled when she saw it was Sakura. "Having a good time?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, I just wanted to get a bowl of chips to munch on." She tried to reach for a large bowl on top of the cabinets, but failed to do so. "Aw man, I just need the bowl."

"Maybe you should ask one of the guys for help." Kirei suggested, grabbing a cup.

She smiled, knowing just who to get. "Good idea." She walked to the doorframe, noticing the mistletoe and the very bored looking raven at the edge of the couch. Walking up to him, crouching to avoid blocking the screen, she poked him on the arm. "I need help getting a bowl down, would you mind?"

Thank god, a reprieve from this horribly boring movie. "Sure." He got up, following the pink haired into the kitchen. As he walked in, Kirei walked out and he hadn't failed to notice. He had noticed the mistletoe too. _"What is she up to…?"_ Something was _**definitely**_ up.

"I just need this bowl." Sakura pointed to a large bowl on top of the cabinets.

Sasuke reached for the bowl, getting it down with ease. He handed it to the thankful girl. "Here." So far, nothing had happened to him. Maybe something _**wasn't**_ up.

As he watched him leave, she smiled. "Thanks Sasuke."

Hearing her tone, alarms went off in his brain. He looked at her, then to the doorway. There was the mistletoe…and…Kirei…coming back from the couch.

Hinata's clear eyes were watching the blonde, a smile on her lips.

And maybe Sasuke would drop dead right there.

Sighing, he turned back to a devious looking Sakura. "Leave me out of your devious plots." Knowing the house as well as the Namikaze's, Sasuke ducked into the other – mistletoe free – exit of the Kitchen, finding a different way back to the living room. What were Hinata and Sakura _**thinking**_?! He was only friends with Kirei…_**right**_?

Kirei came back in the kitchen, completely oblivious to the plot, getting food at Hinata's request. It gave her another chance to not watch the movie. "I see you got your bowl." She said with a smile.

Walking to the doorframe and sighing, shrugging her shoulders at a displeased Hinata, seeing Sasuke glare at them and walk back in through another door. "Yeah."

Sasuke was definitely too smart for a devious plot.

Kirei was just too oblivious to realize.

Hinata sighed. She'd hafta pull out her most devious of devious plots.

* * *

As the movie ended, people began passing out presents to whomever they went to before they went to bed.

But knowing there was a relationship between the two, Hinata approached her cousin as he waited for Raiha to grab her present.

"Merry Christmas, Hinata." He said, seeing her come near.

She smiled at him. "Merry Christmas, yourself, nii-san." When she saw how he fingered the small, wrapped gift, she used her Byakugan to see what was inside. "Dangle earrings?"

He nodded. "Raiha kept dropping hints, so I figured it was the best present for her."

Hinata couldn't stop herself. "I think the best present would be _**you**_ in a big red bow."

It took nearly half a second for his brain to process and when it did, Neji had a nosebleed.

Feeling her job was done, she patted her cousin on the back and walked away. "Merry Christmas, indeed."

As she walked away, Raiha walked up, present in hand. Like his, hers was also small…with a red bow on it. When she saw him, she smiled. "Hey, Neji."

Seeing the bow, Neji thought his nosebleed wouldn't stop. "H-hey, Raiha." He swallowed, trying to regain his calm. "Th-this is for you." He handed her the small box, seeing her smile.

In turn she handed her present to him, seeing how his eyes lingered on the bow. Figuring it was just him, she opened the small box, gasping as she found a pair of dangle earrings she'd been saving up for. "Aww, Neji…" She smiled as she gave him a hug. "Thank you."

"You said something about them…and I saw you eyeing them…" He said, fingering the present he got from her. "But, let's see what you got me…"

"You know, you are a hard person to shop for." She commented as he opened the box.

He picked up the two tickets, reading the large print on them. "Paint."

She nodded. "It's a club that my aunt owns…I figured we could go sometime. It's in the VIP section, so it won't be crowded or anything."

Smiling, he hugged her back. "Thank you, Raiha."

"Can I get everyone over here, please?" They both heard Kirei call from the tree. She had what looked to be, stacks of papers wrapped in wrapping paper in her hands. "I have my presents…but it's kinda complicated."

The two, along with everyone else complied, finding a seat somewhere within the vicinity of the couch.

She sighed, standing in front of them, beginning to pass out her presents. "As you can imagine, I had a hard time finding something for _**all**_ of you, especially something affordable." She explained, chuckling. "So, I figured I'd put a talent to use."

People began ripping them open as soon as they got them, finding laminated pieces of paper inside. What was special was that each piece had a few sketches of them from the show. One full body picture, a few different bust and head shots, along with their name in a specific design that was relevant to their character.

"Wow, nee-chan, these are _**awesome**_!!" Naruto exclaimed, looking at all the detail within the drawing.

"What's with the back?"

Smiling, she explained that part as well. "Well, I was thinking that a few drawings wouldn't be enough, so I decided to add something else. On the back is a full body picture, but if you combine all of them…you get a giant picture."

A few began trying to rearrange them immediately.

"But I'm not telling how it goes, you need to figure it out on your own." She added, watching how they tried to get it to form the picture she'd explained.

Standing with her present in hand, Sasuke knew she was going to love it. At first, he wasn't sure what to get her, too worried that he'd get something she didn't like, but after walking her to the film grounds one day, he found the perfect present.

With him, she had stopped at a local store window, looking in and sighing. "I wish I had a job like you ninja."

"Why's that?" He asked, coming up beside her to try and see what she was looking at.

"Than I could afford to buy things." She answered, setting her hand on the window. "In my position, it's hard to buy things, ya know? And it's not like I can hit up Nii-san for something so trivial."

It wasn't hard for Sasuke to see what she was looking at. Her eyes were set upon a delicate silver locket inside the display case of the jewelry store. "It doesn't sound like it's trivial to you."

Sighing, she let her hand slip off as she walked away. "It's not."

Sasuke followed, intrigued with her answer. "Than why did you say it was?"

"What can be trivial to one can be precious to another." She replied, walking toward the grounds.

With her answer, he'd known that the locket probably meant a lot to her, although he wasn't sure why. So now, he had to give it to her…and muster up the courage _**to**_ give it to her. Sighing, he followed her into the kitchen.

She was making herself hot chocolate, something warm and fuzzy, helping her to sleep on such a wild night. It didn't take her long to notice the raven. Turning as the water heated up, she smiled. "Stalking me _**again**_?"

"Of course not." He answered, trying to sound calm. "I just figured I'd give you your present before both of us forgot." He handed it to her, waiting for any reaction, watching her open it.

She pulled some of her hair behind her ear, leaning on the counter as she unwrapped it. Her smile widened when she took the jewelry case out of the white box. So, it was jewelry…but what was it exactly? "Jewelry, huh?"

"Just open it." He encouraged, seeing the smile on her face.

She sighed first, pushing open the box open, blue eyes setting upon the shiny silver locket on a delicate silver chain.

Sasuke saw her eyes light up, her smile grow as she gasped. He wasn't sure why, but it was a great feeling, seeing her smile like that. He figured that she'd probably try to put it on, say thank you more than she needed to.

He figured wrong.

"Oh, thank you _**so**_ much!!" She cried, setting the box down on the counter behind her and glomping the raven. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!"

Not suspecting the blonde to literally wrap her arms around him and squeeze while exclaiming her thank yous into his chest, Sasuke wasn't sure _**how**_ to react, looking down at the blonde. "Uhhh…" He cursed, feeling heat rise into his face. Good thing his back was to the door. "You're welcome, Kirei." He gently patted the blonde's back, not wanting to provoke more glomping.

Well, actually, he didn't mind it.

Kirei just wanted to stay there, knowing Sasuke was completely unaware that the locket he'd gotten for her was _**identical**_ to one her mother had worn and that her brother had given to her. But she wanted him to know how much she appreciated it, even if he didn't know why. "Really…Thank you so _**very**_ much."

Hearing her words, he had some inkling onto how much it meant and sighed with a smile, still patting her back. "You're welcome." He let her stay attached to him, almost forgetting about their friends in the other room, knowing she'd let him go eventually.

Before either of them got the chance to move, or even care about their friends, Hinata stopped dead at the doorway, seeing Sasuke. She was coming in to find Kirei, who'd mysteriously disappeared.

Smiling, she figured Sasuke wanted her all to himself. Almost inaudibly, she mumbled, "Just let me get my camera…" Pulling her camera out of her pocket, she turned it on, muffling the on tone and snapping a quick, no flash picture. "_**Perfect**_." Sighing in content, Hinata walked away, making sure no one else went into the kitchen.

It wasn't how her plan was devised, but it sure was working.

* * *

With the lights off, save for the lights on the tree, everyone had hunkered down on the floor, ready for bed at 3 in the morning.

Drinks and food still being munched on, an important question came to Kirei, who lay on a sleeping back beside her cousin. "Hey, guys, did anyone ever finish that picture?" She asked, referring to the one she had drawn for them.

An answer came from the person no one was expecting. "Yep." Kiba answered, lying his head on Akamaru, as he always did.

A few spit out their drinks in surprise.

"Wow, Kiba…nice job. Wanna treat?" Ino asked, joking around with the dog lover.

"Hey," He answered, growling a bit. "I'm smart. I _**can**_ figure stuff out you know."

"When you figure out how to nail Jello to a tree, call me." Naruto laughed, knowing the Inuzuka was thinking about what he just said.

It was a few minutes before Kiba replied, "But that's _**impossible**_!!"

"Shut up and go to sleep, Kiba." Shikamaru stated, wanting to get to sleep.

"Guys!!" He whined.

Whoever said Christmas Eve was quiet as a mouse at night was very, very wrong.

* * *

Nearly a week later, everyone who had attended the Christmas party was walking towards the Hokage Mansion, the fireworks display for New Year's Eve ending only a moment ago.

Like the Christmas Party, the New Year's Eve party was also annual and held at the Hokage Mansion. It was just another tradition that wasn't allowed to be passed up.

"Alright, party people," Kiba called out as he and Naruto led them into the living room of the Hokage Mansion. "It's _**drinking**_ time!!" He ran over to his bag as people filled the room, picking seats or running into the kitchen. What he pulled out was a small keg, setting it up on the coffee table.

"Can someone put a muzzle on him _**before**_ he gets wasted?" Shikamaru asked, grabbing himself a drink. If he was going to spend _**another**_ night in this house, with all these people, he'd need a drink.

Naruto answered him, walking up to the brunette. "Already on it!"

When Kiba heard this, drink in hand, he eyed Naruto. "You wouldn't."

Holding up a muzzle, Naruto nodded. "I _**will**_."

While Naruto started to chase Kiba around the living room twice, then into the rest of the house, the group had decided not to play games, such as the did at Christmas, but to hunker down and watch a movie.

As they sat in almost the same positions as before, drinks in hand, Shino started the movie, able to actually work the device without breaking it. The movie the majority had decided on was 300 and then, if they had time before the countdown, to watch some of the Shippuden episodes not out on tv yet.

"You excited for this movie, Kirei?" Hinata asked, sitting next to her because the space Naruto usually occupied was empty.

He was still chasing Kiba.

She smiled, snuggling into her spot on the couch. "I've already seen it, but it's a good movie." She answered, moving over a bit when Sasuke sat on her left, like before.

He found it somewhat odd that Kirei didn't have a drink in hand, like everyone else did. He knew that Hinata and some of the other girls only drank at this party, because they were with friends and could spend the night. So, while the previews were running, he asked. "If you want a drink, I can – "

"It's okay." She shook her head, whispering. "I don't drink…I'm only 17, remember?"

Sasuke wanted to hit himself. Kirei had told him how old she was before and he couldn't believe he forgot. The drinking age in Konoha was only 18. "Oh yeah. Well, you're with friends…I don't think it would hurt."

She smiled. "Are you trying to get me drunk, Sasuke?" She asked with a playful tone, looking at him.

Again, Sasuke wanted to hit himself. "Uh…no, it's just – " He tried to answer, thanking god it was rather dark in the room. He could feel himself blushing at the mention of trying to get her drunk.

She giggled, finding the flustered Uchiha cute. "I know what you meant, I'm just playing with you." She bumped him with her shoulder.

He sighed.

Sitting right next to the blonde, Hinata couldn't help but smile. Her plan had failed, but it seemed like things were going well. Why couldn't the two realize they liked each other?

As the movie started, she let it go, sipping her drink. They'd come to realize _**eventually**_.

She hoped.

* * *

"Wow." Hinata stated as the lights were flipped on. "You were right Kirei. That was a good movie."

She chuckled, looking over her cousin who had arrived near the beginning of the movie. "One of my favorites."

Having successfully muzzled Kiba, who now sat in front of them, Naruto eyed her. "It's not because the guys are wearing next to nothing, is it?"

She giggled, showing off her big eyes to her cousin in her most innocent look. "_**Maybe**_…"

He sighed, shaking his head. "Girls."

Hinata shoved him playfully. "Oh, come on. It's not like you didn't enjoy the Oracle scene!"

"_**Well**_…"

Hinata and Kirei had proved their point when Naruto couldn't look at either one of them, his face turning a nice shade of red.

Sasuke kept quiet. If they could subdue Naruto, he had _**no**_ chance.

As other people started to move around, some buzzed, some lightly buzzed, Kirei also stood, stretching. "Hey, Nii-san," Kirei began, making the blonde look up at her. "I'm gonna…" She nodded towards upstairs, letting her voice drop off.

He nodded, understanding what she implied, getting up as well. "Alright then. You be careful, okay?" He asked, tousling her hair.

She nodded and headed upstairs with a smile.

"What's that about?" Hinata asked, getting up just like Naruto did. Before Shippuden was played, she wanted to get more to drink and maybe get something to eat.

Naruto smiled, watching her. "Nothing we need to worry about." Grabbing her hand, he pulled her closer to her. "Now, let's get something to eat, shall we?"

Giving him an Eskimo kiss, she smiled. "Yes please."

Slightly buzzed from his drink, Sasuke thought about what he wanted to do.

It would be at least ten minutes before they started Shippuden episodes and he wasn't sure he wanted to watch them anyway. Paling around with Naruto was somewhat hard, with Hinata there. They usually weren't able to see each other much, out of filming a lot and taking missions, but Sasuke was okay with that; it was the same situation with himself and Sakura when they dated.

Seeing as how everyone else was somewhat buzzed, including himself, he was at a loss of what to do. Everything was too boring. Well, at least there was one person he could go to, but she had run upstairs.

With a heavy sigh, Sasuke decided to get up and try to find Kirei.

* * *

As he went upstairs, a cell phone below rang.

"Hello?" Neji asked, slightly buzzed as well. "…_**Dad**_?"

Sitting with him, Raiha could hear a very loud, garbled voice on the other line.

Taking the phone from his mouth, he covered it with his hand and looked at Raiha. "I think he's wasted."

"Should you go see him then? Make sure he's not hurt or something?" She asked, just as she took a sip of her drink.

Still listening to the ramblings of his father, Neji nodded. "Yeah…probably."

"Okay." She answered, watching him get up and walk into the kitchen, avoiding bumping into too many people.

"Hey, Naruto." He called out, seeing the blonde with his cousin, kissing her. "I hafta leave early."

Turning, the blonde whined. "Why? It's not a party if no one's here!"

It was obvious to Neji that the blonde was having trouble with his liquor. "Listen." He held his phone to Naruto's ear, letting him listen to the ramblings of his father.

After a minute, Naruto nodded. "Okay then. Thanks for letting us know."

He nodded. "No problem. Happy New Year."

"You too!" He yelled in reply, turning back to Hinata, who smirked.

Holding her blonde as he became more and more drunk, Hinata led him into the living room, seeing Neji leaving, Raiha along with him. "I _**knew**_ it…" She mumbled.

Because she had asked him, Neji slipped on his red Vincent Valentine cloak which she loved, and with Raiha's hand in his, he looked around, making sure no one saw them.

Hinata clicked her tongue. "You're not getting away _**that**_ easily, Nii-san…." Just as Neji entered the doorway out of the Mansion, she mustered up all the air her lungs would allow. "Have fun with Raiha-chan, Neji!!"

Everyone, drunk or not, heard it and looked to the doorway, right were Neji and Raiha were standing.

"Don't make eye contact. Just keep walking." Neji said, gritting his teeth, walking out. "They're like animals. They'll jump you."

Hinata smirked. Her job was officially done.

* * *

Walking outside the Hokage Mansion, Neji sighed. "I'm gonna _**kill**_ Hinata." He mumbled.

"Aw, but Vincent…" Raiha cooed, slipping her hand into his. "Everyone's drunk…they won't remember it."

"What if they _**do**_?" He asked back, looking over at her.

She shrugged her shoulders, sighing. "Than they find out about us. Big deal."

Neji stopped, stopping her with him, pulling her into his arms. "What sparked this change in you? A few months ago, you didn't want to tell them."

Closing her eyes, she set her head on his chest, fingering the red cloak she loved so much. "Well…I thought about it…and what do I care about what they think? This relationship is _**me and you**_, not us and them." She answered.

He chuckled a bit. "No more alcohol for you. You're too philosophical when you drink."

She looked up at him, pouting. "_**But**_ Neji…I like alcohol…" Hands laced around his neck, she reached up on her tiptoes, kissing the man was hers, the man she loved.

He nodded, smiling. "Apparently my dad does too." He picked her up, kissing her forehead, knowing she wasn't about to let him go yet and jumped off, heading for his house.

* * *

Never in his life had Sasuke felt this nervous.

He had found Kirei's room, alright. The fact that scared him was that it was open and cluttering was heard inside.

The first thought in his mind was that she was getting changed…and if he opened the door wider…he'd be in a _**lot**_ of trouble. Thinking about it, he might risk it. Kirei wasn't all that bad look –

He stopped himself before he went too far, knowing he wasn't allowed to think like that about her.

_'Actually,'_ His mind mused. _'Naruto said I wasn't allowed to fall in love with her, he didn't say __**anything**__ about thinking about her…'_ He blinked. He was right.

The booze was defiantly getting to the Uchiha.

Risking the trouble he might get in, he opened the door. His eyes widened in shock, but not the kind of shock he expected.

Kirei _**was**_ in the room, on the balcony. Only part of her at least.

Sasuke realized Kirei was hanging from the roof of her balcony, trying to pull herself up and it scared him to hell and back. He set his drink down, almost running out to the balcony, pushing her up onto the roof by her feet before she fell and killed herself. His heart had never beat so fast in his life.

She hadn't realized he was there yet and once on the roof, flopped on her back, sighing, eyes closed. She wasn't all that sure she'd get up on the roof, thankful that she made it. It was a lot harder than she remembered.

"Are you _**really**_ that stupid?" He asked, joining her on the roof, easily jumping up next to her, thankful to have her alive.

Going from lying on her back to halfway sitting up in a flash, Kirei gasped, suddenly hearing a voice and seeing Sasuke looking at her angrily. "Oh, my god, don't _**do**_ that!!" She stayed sitting up, catching her breath, hand on her chest. "Are you _**trying**_ to scare me to death?!" She giggled, somewhat upset and yet thankful.

"I should ask _**you**_ the same thing." He answered with a growl. "Hanging off the roof like that. You're lucky I came up to find you, or you'd be dead."

Knowing him as well as she did, she looked over at him, finding him looking away from her. He looked almost…hurt. "I really scared you, didn't I?" She asked calmly, trying to catch his sight. It wasn't always that she could detect how he was feeling, but this time he seemed a little different, a little more flustered and jumpy than usual.

He stayed silent, not looking directly at her. "Just don't do it again." He snapped.

Kirei sighed. He may not have said it, but she knew better. She _**had**_ scared him. "I'm sorry for worrying you like that, okay?" She knew she'd gotten somewhere when he looked at her. "I won't do it again unless I have your permission."

Sighing to get his heart rate back down, he looked around the roof. "What _**are**_ you doing up here, anyway?"

She shook her head at him, smiling. He was too curious for his own good sometimes. "The party too boring for you?"

He nodded.

On the very edge of the roof, Kirei went further up before answering, lying back down again. "Thinking." She motioned for him to come up beside her. "I try to do it every year…and night is the prettiest time."

He did as she motioned, lying beside her. He already knew the answer, but wanted to ask. "What do you think about?" He heard her sigh and in the quiet of the night, could even hear her breathing.

"Everything." She answered softly, watching the stars above her. "You should try it sometime."

He nodded, about to take her up on that offer, but another question came to his mind. "What do you think about the most?"

She chuckled, "Aren't you just full of questions today?" She diverted her sight, only to see him looking at her. "Stop stalking me." Diverting her sight again to the stars, she could still feel his sight on her. "Stop it."

"Stop _**what**_?" He asked, smirking. She still made it _**all**_ too easy.

Sighing happily, she replied, "If you really want to know, I think about Daisuke." During Thanksgiving, Sasuke had given her a certain look at certain times. That look told her that he knew more that what she had told him.

"You knew?" He asked, not all that surprised. After Thanksgiving, she had been revealing more and more about her old life to him and _**only**_ him.

Kirei nodded. "Yep. You know that look that people give you when they know about something bad that happened to you? You had that look, so I figured Naruto told you. And no," She continued, knowing he was bound to ask. "I'm not mad."

Sasuke gritted his teeth. He hated that look. That pity look that people _**always**_ gave him, no matter where he was or who he was with. Then the rumors would be whispered around and those pissed him off even more.

The only people who didn't whisper or give him the pity look were the two blondes who were close to the Uchiha.

For a few minutes, it fell comfortably silent between the two.

Kirei had her eyes closed this time, thinking about the good times she used to have with her brother. Sometimes, she'd let a giggle or chuckle escape and hope that Sasuke didn't think she was crazy.

Lying next to her, eyes wandering around, he already knew she was crazy. He didn't suspect anything less. But as his eyes wandered, his mind kept going back to that look. That look then led him to the incident he'd rather forget.

"You wanna talk about it?" Kirei suddenly asked in the silence. She'd seen the Uchiha's look and his hands ball into fists, after hearing the deep growls from him. "I'm all ears." She figured he'd been thinking about the Uchiha Incident, as people called it.

He heard her, but didn't answer. He could feel rage coursing his veins, along with sadness and loneliness, the feelings he couldn't ever seem to get rid of. Bringing that story up wouldn't've been a good idea, especially because he didn't want anyone to know. He himself wanted to forget it.

"_**Sasuke**_."

He still didn't answer.

Sighing, Kirei sat up, pulling him up with all the strength she could. "Come on. You can't keep stuff like that bottled up."

"_**You**_ do." He spat, anger raging, not looking at her.

She shook her head, knowing the anger wasn't directed at her. "I tell _**you**_, don't I?"

It took him a minute to realize she was right; she had started telling him more and more everyday, or at least make an attempt to.

"We can make a deal, if you want." She continued, sighing heavily, shutting her eyes. "I'll tell you my story, you tell me yours."

His eyes finally connected with hers, a little wide. He could tell from how soft her expression was that she was more than serious. "You're serious?"

She sighed, a small smile on her face. The Uchiha was in a strange mood today. "Yeah. I can trust you with it." She chuckled from the somewhat shocked look on his face. "And for every question you ask, you owe me a favor, emo."

"No way in hell." He smirked.

Knowing he was feeling a bit better, Kirei sighed, setting her hands behind her and leaning back, looking up. "Well, let's see…"

"You don't have to do this." He said softly, looking at her. He knew how hard pasts were. Dredging through those unwanted memories hurt…and the last thing Sasuke wanted was for Kirei to hurt.

She smiled a bit. Him saying that was just as good as him saying he cared for her. "I want to." She assured. "I'm betting you already know about my mom."

He nodded, choosing to stay silent.

"Her name was Nanami and my brother always told me that my eyes were _**just**_ like hers. I only ever got to see her in photos, but I think I can feel her presence whenever I think about her. You know what I mean?" She looked over, finding the Uchiha watching intently, soft onyx eyes centered on her eyes.

"Yeah." It was almost the same way he thought about his mom, at least until he came to grips that she was dead and never coming back.

"And from what Daisuke told me, Sanyu wasn't the greatest guy – "

"You don't call him dad?" He interrupted.

Kirei blinked; he'd never interrupted her before. The Uchiha was _**definitely**_ in a strange mood. "Why should I? He never treated us like kids." She shrugged her shoulders. "I remember bits and pieces of those times, but not everything. When he'd come home, I was always happy to see him, even though Daisuke would always make me stick around him and sometimes, I even got to sleep in his room."

Sasuke smiled a bit, hearing the happiness in her voice. His mind made him wonder how long that happiness would last.

"I mean, some people think it was a little incestuous…but it's _**not**_." She wasn't sure why, but her heart was going just a little bit faster than normal. "My uncle did when we came over once. I was always holding his hand, sleeping in the same bed…stuff like that," She looked over at Sasuke. "It's just because – "

"You're so close." He knew the situation, finishing for her. It was almost the same as him with his brother, or used to be.

She smiled. He knew her better than she thought. "Right." She sighed. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I'm very much a touchy/feely person. I guess it's just because I want to be connected to people. I say this to warn you, too. I don't want you to think it's creepy or anything." She shrugged again, this time out of insecurity. It took Naruto time to get used to the touches and hand holding she'd do, so she hoped Sasuke could get used to it too.

He shook his head, almost sensing her insecurity. "It's okay, I don't think it's creepy at all. We have our own little quirks, after all." He reached out, tousling her hair to reassure her.

"You mean like that?" She asked, shaking her hair back to a normal position. She didn't fail to notice how he'd tousle her hair more and more. She almost started to keep count.

Having not realized how much he actually did tousle her hair, it surprised him how much he did it and how much he _**enjoyed**_ doing it. "I guess." He answered nonchalantly, not wanting to tip her off.

"Anyway…so, after Sanyu left…well, it wasn't any different because all my time was spent with Daisuke. I really never noticed he left us." She continued again, looking up at the stars. "And while he went out on missions, he'd take me to school, pick me up and be right there… _**always**_. Whenever I needed him, he was there."

Again, Sasuke knew the situation, nodding. He also knew the story was taking a turn for the worse when Kirei sighed the heaviest sigh he'd heard.

"And since we knew each other so well, I could tell when something was wrong with him and vice versa." She was rather calm at the moment, deciding to bring her hands into her lap, folding her legs in an Indian style sit, but she could feel the butterflies in her stomach riling up.

Kirei suddenly remembered why she didn't tell this story anymore; it made her sick to her stomach.

"I noticed it about a year before he died. He came home from a mission a day later than usual and he looked really pale…and that night, I asked to sleep with him again, to make sure he was okay…but he refused." She sighed again. "Being 14 and my world revolving around him, it was scary to think that he didn't want me anymore." She felt the familiar aching feeling come into her heart.

Sasuke wasn't sure how to react or how to answer. As she fiddled with her hands, watching them, he could see her eyes glaze over a bit and if she started crying, Sasuke wasn't sure what he'd do.

"Since that night, he started getting more and more distant and spent more time in his room. I think around then was when I started to realize, to _**know**_ that something was wrong…" Her hands slowly started to shake. "A-and it was the n-ne– "

"_**Stop**_." Sasuke commanded softly, setting his hand on top of her shaking ones. He didn't want to see her like this or see what it was like further than this. "Don't to go any further."

Stomach in knots, heart beating fast, Kirei had to close her eyes and remind herself to breathe. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was his hand and from his hand came his wrist, then his forearm and arm, his shoulder and neck and finally those entrancing onyx eyes. "Ar-are you sure?"

"Yes." He answered, still soft. "I know the rest. You don't have to put yourself through that." He said, knowing firsthand how hard it was to talk like that. "Want to go back down to the party?"

She shook her head. "Mm-mm. You're not getting out _**that**_ easy, you emo." She said, a slight smile on her lips. "We made a deal."

He smirked back. "You _**suggested**_ a deal, I never agreed to it."

Mouth agape, she stared at him. "You Teme." He was right, but she still couldn't believe it.

He shrugged, realizing his hand was still with hers and pulled it away. "Well, you started telling and I didn't want to stop you."

She pursed her lips, eyes becoming half-lidded. "You sneaky bastard, you."

Sasuke looked away from her, a smirk on his lips, happy that he'd changed the subject and that she wasn't on the verge of tears.

Silence once again fell, Kirei calming herself down, Sasuke still thinking.

He wondered if her offer was still on the table. After all, she had told him the hardest time of her life, _**willingly**_, knowing that she could trust him to not tell anyone about it. In short, she had gone out on a ledge for him.

He decided he'd do the same.

"Are you still all ears?" He asked quietly, not all that wanting to share his story. He hadn't thought about it in years.

In the silence, Kirei had looked to the stars again, happy that she was able to get that far in her story without crying. She was also happy that she could tell him without the fear of anyone interrupting them.

When she heard his question, she looked over at him, a little surprised. "Yeah, of course." She wasn't going to stop him if he wanted to tell.

He sighed, mentally preparing himself. "If I get mad or something and I – "

She was quick to cut his warning off. "It's okay, Sasuke. It doesn't matter what happens." Kirei knew the Uchiha was violent – she'd seen it firsthand – but it was okay.

He closed his eyes, trying to remember to that horrible day. "Just like you, I was pretty much attached to my brother, the only difference was that I knew and loved my mom and dad. When I first met Naruto and Itachi was with me, I didn't want him to go."

She chuckled a bit, able to imagine the Uchiha hiding behind his brother. It was cute to imagine him like that.

"Yeah," He answered her chuckle, knowing what she was thinking. "I was like that. _**Was**_, being the keyword. I just kinda noticed how close Itachi and I were getting and how mom and dad were getting further away, _**colder**_, so to speak. So I asked him about it one day." He looked out, away from her. "He told me not to worry about it and to call him if anything bad happened."

Kirei soon realized that this story wasn't easy for him, watching how he fidgeted and moved, completely opposite of how he usually was. She kept her eye on him, listening as quietly as she could.

"One day, he got called on a mission and left for the day. He told me to come over here for the day and to wait for him to pick me up, but I didn't want to. I wanted to be home when _**he**_ got home, you know?"

She smiled at him when he looked over at her, understanding probably more than anyone could. "Yeah."

"So, I stayed home that day and for some reason, my mom and dad were acting really weird. They were just being mean and…actually," He said, remembering a specific detail. "I _**think**_ my mom tried to hit me."

Kirei gasped a bit, not able to fathom how someone, a mother, could hit her own child.

He nodded. "Yeah, she did. My dad stopped her and said something…" He wasn't sure what it was. "But later that night, I went to bed in Itachi's room, waiting for him."

She knew the story was turning for worse and for some reason, felt nervous, her pulse quickening. Strangely, she wanted to hear more.

He felt his pulse quicken as well, shutting his eyes. "I know I woke up from hearing a few screams from my cousin's house…but I didn't think anything of it, so I fell back asleep. The only reason I woke up a few minutes later was because I heard my mom screaming at my dad. She was saying something about not doing something that had to do with me," Gulping, Sasuke was somewhat glad his memory failed him. "and I sat up, thinking maybe Itachi was home and they were fighting."

Kirei couldn't help but frown. She wanted to reach her hands out to his…but resisted the urge. It might come in handy later.

"In short, my "parents" had killed all of our family except for Itachi and me. The _**only**_ reason I'm alive is because Itachi rushed home when he found that I wasn't with Naruto and the Yondaime." He finally said, feeling anger rushing through him. He kept his fists closed, eyes off of Kirei. He didn't want to hurt her.

She rolled her lips, looking at him sadly. "Is _**that**_ why you two are so different?" She asked as quietly as she could.

"No." He answered. "He doesn't remember. _**That's**_ why."

She waited quietly for an explanation, knowing not to be hurt by his snapping.

"He raced home and he got there just before my dad could kill me." He remembered this part so well, it hurt. "He said he'd tell everyone that they did this, killed our family and even tried to kill me and that they'd probably be sentenced to death under the Yondaime." He sighed. "Apparently, dearest dad and mom thought it over and put a genjutsu on Itachi…"

Kirei felt entranced when he finally looked her in the eye, not ever seeing the sadness and hurt in her best friends' eyes.

"I watched him kill them."

Her breath escaped her in a gasp like state as she looked at him with unimaginably sad eyes. She felt like she was going to cry.

"When he killed them, he _**almost**_ came after me…until your Uncle burst in and stopped him, releasing him from the Genjutsu." Sasuke _**wanted**_ to stop. He wanted to stop thinking about _**all**_ of it; all of the torment, all of the pain. But she _**had**_ to know. To know his past was to know _**him**_. "He didn't remember anything and when he tried to come near me afterward, I stepped away."

Kirei was sure she was going to cry, watching how much it hurt.

He sighed heavily, this part committed to memory. "Then came sleepless nights and nightmares and therapists and medications, until I finally told Itachi what happened. After that, he and I got closer, but I'm not sure I could ever get really close to him again."

She nodded, her voice gone.

Sitting the same way she was, he was surprised that she didn't speak. "I just…branched off from people. I think you and Naruto are the only people who are really close to me. So, don't go off on roof escapades _**aga**_ – " Sasuke's voice cut horribly short when he felt the blonde wrap her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

"I'm _**really**_ sorry." She whispered quietly, pulling away from the Uchiha, almost regretting the hug. Uchiha's didn't like to be hugged.

He knew the hug was a gesture, a gesture of understanding and care. He tousled her hair to make himself and her feel better. "Let's get off this gloomy subject, okay?"

She nodded, vigorously. "Uh-huh." She gasped, her mind suddenly wanting to ask a question as she heard cheers from downstairs. "What's your resolution?" She asked excitedly.

He arched an eyebrow at the sudden question and sudden change in emotion. "_**Resolution**_?"

"Yeah." She answered. "You know, what you want to do for next year."

He chuckled at her enthusiasm. "I know what it is, silly."

"Than what is it?" She asked again. "I want to know."

Sighing, he knew she'd keep asking until she got an answer. "Mine is to find one for next year."

"_**Sasuke**_!" Kirei laughed, pushing him a bit. "You emo, that's not good enough!!"

Happy to hear her laugh, he shrugged his shoulders, looking away. "Oh really? What's yours, O great resolutioner?"

Even though she was laughing and happy, her resolution came unexpected. "To not hole up when I'm talking about Daisuke."

He stared at her for a minute, making sure that he was hearing her right. "I'll hold you to it." He answered.

She smiled at him. "Okay…now yours!"

Sasuke began to wonder if maybe Kirei did have something to drink. All in all, the cute look from Kirei broke him.

He looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. "…To not be so emo, I guess." He answered softly, saying the first thing that came to mind.

She giggled. "What was that? I'm not sure I heard you." She played, pushing him again.

"You heard me."

"_**Uh**_-_**huh**_." She nodded, leaning backward so far, she literally fell back on the roof, looking up. "Happy New Year, Sasuke."

Glancing at her, he laid back too. "Happy New Year." He sighed, feeling a lot better than he had before. Maybe telling her his story was a better thing than he thought.

"Sasuke?"

"Hn?"

"Thanks."

Sasuke smiled. This was all just one step closer to being a better friend.

* * *

"Kirei." Sasuke gently nudged the girl beside him. He wasn't sure what time it was, probably late, but figured they should get back to the party.

Unfortunately, Kirei had fallen asleep next to the Uchiha.

He was going to have to ask exactly _**how**_ she fell asleep on the roof in the middle of the night. "_**Kirei**_." He shook her this time.

She awoke rather slowly, eyes fluttering open as she yawned, making a strange whining sound as she did.

Sasuke thought she was waking up, listening to the "whine" she made. It was oddly cute.

Just as she stretched, Kirei rolled over towards him and went back to sleep.

He huffed, finding it adorable. "Kirei, get up." But he wouldn't let her know that.

She only opened one eye at him.

"We should head back down. If you're gonna sleep, sleep _**downstairs**_, not on a roof." He said, making her sit up. "By the way, how does one fall asleep on _**rooftop**_?" He began to travel toward the edge of the roof and her balcony, making sure she was following him.

"Cause I'm with my best friend." She answered, yawning again, rubbing her eyes.

Sasuke turned to look at her, shocked.

"And I know he wouldn't let anything bad happen to me." She shook her head, speaking somewhat like a child. "So, I told myself it was _**okay**_ to sleep. Sasuke would be there to take care of me."

Sasuke was so shocked, he couldn't speak, just staring at her. His mind jumpstarted again when Kirei began to get down, or rather, jump. "No, stay here." Reaching out, he stopped her from jumping. "I'll get you down."

She smiled, closing her heavy eyelids and sitting on the edge, swinging her legs back and forth. "Okay."

He shook his head, jumping and landing with skills only Ninja had. He sighed when he turned back to Kirei, who kept her eyes almost closed. It was obvious she wanted to sleep. "You're funny, Kirei." He said as he walked up to her, trying to keep her awake.

"I try." She answered, watching him. "Can I get down now?"

He couldn't help but smile, seeing her reach out for him. "Yes, you can." As she reached out for him, he picked her up by her waist, easily lifting her off the roof and setting her gently on the ground. He let her go, but she didn't let him go.

"I'm sleepy." She admitting, not letting him go out of the fact that she didn't want to and if she did, she might fall.

He chuckled, leading her back inside and shutting the glass door behind him. "I know." He continued to lead her downstairs, where he found everyone either passed out or sleeping. Jeez. Did no one care about the two?

"And just _**where**_ have you two been?" Naruto asked as he heard Sasuke shuffling around.

"On the roof." Sasuke replied, setting an already out Kirei on her sleeping bag beside the blonder blonde. "We had a talk."

Eyeing him, not sure what to think, Naruto answered, "That's good."

Sasuke nodded as he scurried off to find his bag and come back to the blondes. "Yeah, it is."

Sitting up, Naruto looked as hard as he could at the Uchiha. Something was…_**off**_. "You seem different."

Lying down because he was just as tired as everyone else, he mumbled, "I'm not, you're drunk, go to sleep."

"Okay, Sasuke."

He sighed, setting his head down on his pillow. Although, he couldn't stop smiling.


	8. Secrets

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD I also do not own the song, that belongs to Jordan Sparks and her record company.

_Notes/Warnings: _None this chapter. As a note, yes this story has an OC. Yes, it has Yaoi. Yes, the OC is related to someone on the show.

_**DEAL**_.

If you don't like it, don't read or review. Just hit the button that says, "Back" Or the little backspace key on your keyboard.

I'M BACK!! Yay!! I was going to update on vacation, but I had the crappiest connection ever. Seriously. So, here's another Favorite chapter of mine. Child-like Sasuke. Any questions, please ask, I never mind answering. I rather enjoy it. :D If anyone can guess why Itachi's room number is 59, i'll give you a cookie. (Not much incentive, is it? xD)

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading, hope you like!

* * *

_Chapter 8 – Secrets_

* * *

Kirei sighed, looking out the kitchen window of her loft, a mug of somewhat hot hot chocolate in her hands. She was careful to sip it, afraid to burn her tongue.

It had been three months since New Year, or her "roof escapade", as she called it and so far, everything was great.

As of the moment, it was Spring Break, giving her a week reprieve from the _**hell**_ she called school. Everyone was "friends" with her because she was related to the Yondaime, but they were all fake. She only had two _**real**_ friends within the school, but never got to see them.

The part of day she enjoyed most was just as the last bell rang, where she would gather her things and run out, finding a raven waiting for her. This of course, was Sasuke. He walked with her everyday, or tried to. Filming sometimes prohibited it.

That was okay for the two. They were close enough to understand why.

Sasuke was always stoic no matter what, but he seemed different when she was around. People were spared his glare and scowl, met with an unemotional face instead. Some were lucky to see a smirk or somewhat happy look on his face, but that was if he was with Kirei and hadn't noticed them yet.

Kirei, on the other hand…was, _**Kirei**_. She was always buzzing around to everyone, seeing how they were and if they needed anything. She had her calm times, sitting and sketching, but she hadn't changed too much.

What changed the most was that Sasuke was more protective of her than before and only one other person knew why; _**Naruto**_.

Once, when Sasuke was occupied with filming, along with Naruto, Kirei had shown up about 10 minutes later than usual and she looked a little disheveled.

When Hinata had come up to her and ask what was wrong, Kirei replied she had to talk to Naruto or Sasuke, whoever was done first.

She ended up talking to Sasuke.

He watched as how she explained, nervous and rubbing her right arm with her left hand. She had said something about being grabbed by these two men. They hadn't done anything to harm her, but it unnerved her so bad, she _**ran**_ to the film grounds.

When Sasuke asked what they looked like, the answer he feared most came from her lips.

"_**The**_ _**Akatsuki**_."

That was why he stayed closer to her at all times, made the time to pick her up. He wouldn't lose the person who meant the most to him. He wasn't sure he _**could**_.

Everything returned to normal after that, or at least as normal as life was. Naruto was hyper, along with Kiba, Hinata was trying to calm them, Kirei was ignoring them along with Sasuke, who sat beside her, while everyone else watched in amusement.

* * *

But now she was home alone, blue eyes watching the sun come close to setting. She had stayed home that day, filming somewhat postponed because Naruto was away on a mission. Sasuke was probably there, but she figured he'd get along fine without her for a day. If not, he'd be _**bound**_ to show up at her door.

Sighing at the thought of the raven, Kirei could've sworn she heard a knock at her front door. She waited a minute.

Yes, there was a rather frantic knock at her door.

Setting her mug down, she left her medium sized kitchen, taking a left down the hallway, leading her into the living room and the front door. Looking down at herself, she wished she could've changed out of her hole filled jeans and tank tops. Shrugging, she answered the door, finding what she least expected.

"Sasuke?!" She wasn't surprised in the fact that he was there, but how he looked. "What are you – "

Cutting her off, he stumbled a bit, almost falling into her. The Uchiha looked beaten. Physically, he wasn't harmed or maimed, but mentally, he'd gone through something that scared him. Plus, he hadn't eaten or sleep in the last 48 hrs, along with running straight to Kirei's once he found out the news.

Kirei could see this in his blank eyes, ushering him inside, letting him rest on her for support. She used her foot to shut the door behind him, leading him to her couch.

He plopped down on the couch with a huff, strangely unlike himself, his mind blank.

Seeing his blank expression, actually now that she looked at him, he seemed upset, she wondered what possibly could've happened to make the Uchiha like this. "Sasuke," She began, getting no reaction. "What happened?" She cleared the coffee table, sitting directly across from him.

His eyes trailed the floor, barely blinking, trying to catch his breath.

She tried to catch his sight. When that failed, she reached out, holding his hands with hers. She smiled at him when he finally looked over at her, somewhat surprised to see the onyx eyes glazed over. "What happened?" She repeated, asking just a bit softer, a bit slower.

In the most kid like voice and look, he answered. "Itachi's hurt."

She sighed, first thankful that _**he**_ wasn't hurt, also thankful that he'd come to her. "Okay," She said softly. "Do you know how bad he's hurt?" She had to find out a few things first before trying to help.

He shook his head. "Mm-mm."

Again, Kirei sighed, this time inwardly. Despite the Uchiha's state, he was _**adorable**_. "Did you just come running here?"

"Yeah."

She couldn't help but smile, her hands gently massaging his to try and calm him. "Do you want me to call the hospital and see how he is?"

"…" He was silent, diverting his sight.

Getting up, she let his hands go, ruffling his hair. "I'll be _**right**_ back, okay?"

He nodded.

"Just stay right here." Smiling at his second nod, she walked off, into the kitchen, grabbing a phone. She knew the situation pretty well, even from the few words he gave her.

Itachi probably came home later than expected, that first worrying Sasuke, and when he found Itachi was hurt, his mind had shut down and he ran for the first person he could go to. Because Naruto wasn't in town, he'd run for her.

"Konoha Hospital, how may I help you?"

Kirei smiled. "Yes, I was wondering, do you have _**any**_ information on a Ninja by the name of Uchiha Itachi?"

Sasuke senses coming back to him slowly, he looked around the room, almost forgetting where he was. Hearing Kirei's voice from another room, he remembered he was with her and sighed. At least he wasn't alone.

The room wasn't anything special, maybe more decorated than his own, but otherwise, it was kind of homey. Tv, couch, a chair or two, a lamp and a few knickknacks, but nothing extraordinary.

"Well, then send someone _**up**_ there and find out!"

He looked in the direction of her angered voice, a little bit startled. He'd never heard Kirei scream or even _**be**_ angry before.

"Alright," Kirei began, more appeased. "That's _**better**_. Thank you." Kirei was surprised to find Sasuke watching her when she came back into the living room, two glasses of water in her hands. She figured Sasuke hadn't eaten or slept in a while, so he had to get something in him.

He watched as she sat on the coffee table, just like before. Only then did he notice her ripped-like clothing and messy hair. Just what _**was**_ Kirei doing before he arrived?

"Feeling better?" She asked, setting the glasses down.

"Uh-huh." He answered.

She believed him, seeing a little more life coming back into the Uchiha. "I'm guessing, because I've been in similar situations that you haven't eaten in while, have you?" She asked, seeing him nod. "Yeah, I thought so." Reaching beside her, she grabbed one of the two glasses, setting it in his hands. "If you haven't eaten, you should drink something, okay?"

Just as Kirei's hands left the glass, it slipped from Sasuke's shaking hands, crashing and spilling all over the floor. He felt horrible, watching the water go everywhere, ruining her carpet. To make the feeling worse, Kirei had to move her feet before the glass hit, or else they'd get scratched from the fragments.

He almost hurt her.

She was quick to calm him again. "It's okay, it's _**okay**_. It's just water." She also figured this would happen, bringing the second glass in case. She handed it to him again, keeping her hands on his so he would be able to hold the glass.

Not really wanting the water, he knew it was for the best if he drank it. "Thank you."

She shook her head, smiling as he started to become himself again. "No problem." When he pushed the glass into her hands after a few sips, she took it, setting it on the table. "Just because you need to know..." She began, keeping eye and hand contact with him. "Itachi's in surgery,"

Sasuke felt his stomach turn.

"But he's _**okay**_." She finished, increasing grip on his hands.

He looked down at their hands, not moving. He didn't want to ask, because asking could make it happen, but his mind _**had**_ to ask. "What happens if he's not?"

"He is." She answered, so much assurance in her voice. She had been through this times before, plus with the Hospitals' explanation, it was routine surgery. "He's _**fine**_, Sasuke."

Sasuke hesitated in looking back up at her, but once he did, he looked away again. "C…can I…"

Kirei knew what he was going ask, already knowing her answer, but let him ask, smiling. It really was cute how the Uchiha was not able to function socially. The simplest question was hard for him.

"Stay here...for the night?" He finished, looking up at her again. He wasn't sure if he was blushing or not, but at the moment it didn't matter.

She smiled. "You didn't need to ask." Using the soft grip she had on his hands, she pulled him up, standing up herself. "Now, come on."

He didn't object, letting her pull him along. Senses still coming back, he soon began to realize he was in _**Kirei's**_ loft. A place he _**didn't**_ know. For all he knew, she was leading him to another roof. That was when his sight focused on the hands connected with him, seeing all the colors on her fingertips. He brought her hand up closer, examining her fingers. "_**Paint**_?"

"You'll see." She answered, slightly smirking

Sasuke took this chance to see parts of her loft, finding the kitchen on his right, a closed door coming up on his left, pictures lining the walls.

They didn't go much further, coming up to the second door on the right, where Kirei stopped, sighing. She was about to speak, but the Uchiha beat her to it.

"What's in there?" He asked, nearly setting his chin on her shoulder, trying to see.

She chuckled, shaking her head, a smile coming onto her face. "A secret."

"I like secrets." He answered, keeping his hand on hers as it reached for the doorknob.

"I know you do." She said back, unable to stop smiling.

Kirei knew the room she was walking into. Other than her bedroom, it was her favorite room. Thinking about it, she probably spent more time here than in her room.

"This…" She began, opening the door wider, showing the room that few knew about, fewer saw. "is my studio."

Sasuke was definitely stunned, standing there, eyes wide.

The room was large, the largest room in the house. There wasn't much to it, all the walls white and barren, one of the them painted, the one across from them interrupted by large glass doors that led to a small porch, the wall on his left having a few cabinets and drawers. Next to the cabinets was a large silver sound system, complete with huge speakers and as Sasuke's eyes trailed the cords, speakers littered the room, along with some cords moving to another room.

He figured the cabinets were filled with paint and supplies, seeing cans of paint beside it, boxes of clay there as well. He knew Kirei was an artist, seeing her draw almost every day, but _**this**_ was unexpected.

Kirei led him to the upper right hand corner of the room, where her latest project was set up. She sighed, looking at the half painted canvas, cans of paint seated around the easel, her stool right in front of it. "Okay, just stay right there." She said, letting Sasuke's hands slip from hers.

He watched her curiously, wondering what she could be doing until he saw her head for the couch in the room, pulling it over to where he was standing effortlessly.

"It's on wheels." She answered, centering it. "And I know it may not seem like it, but painting _**can**_ calm you down." She placed the couch on her right, below the table, but still enabling him to see what she was doing and how she was doing it.

"Really?" He plopped onto the couch, using the armrest as a pillow, setting his head on it and watching as she sat on the stool just a couple feet from him.

She nodded, cracking her neck, then her fingers. "Yes. Especially when you have," She reached to the table on her right, searching around the cluttered mess. It had a few cups of water, a lot of paintbrushes and a _**hell**_ of a lot of paint. Somehow, she managed to find a small silver remote, smiling when she grabbed it. She pointed it to the speakers and continued. "Music."

Sasuke was expecting a loud, blasting sound, but found that it was somewhat soft…and…calm. "I like this secret."

She chuckled, curling her toes around the smaller pieces of wood on her stool, happy to be back where she loved. "You better keep this secret, or you'll be dead."

Ruffling his brows, he watched her grab a paintbrush. "Why?"

"Because," She sighed, trying to remember where she'd left off and yet answer his question. "…well, it's what I love." She looked over at him, and sighed again.

He was still a bit confused.

"Working on art is my passion…it is…_**me**_, in a sense." She tried to explain. "This place is like my sanctuary."

Sasuke listened in silence, hoping to understand.

"I mean," She continued, dipping her paintbrush in some paint, starting to set it upon the canvas. "When I have a bad day at school, I come here, into this studio and forget about everything. I focus so hard on getting this project done and spill so much of my heart into it, that I forget about everything. I forget about making the decisions for my life, I forget about being obsessed with Naruto…just _**everything**_. I can do what I love and not worry about what's plaguing me." She finished, hoping it explained it for him. She wasn't sure of another way to explain it.

He nodded, figuring she could see him from the corner of his eye. He didn't completely understand her, but he knew what she was getting to.

Biting her lip, she said, "I know it may not sound like it and if you do get bored, you can do whatever you want, but I thought we'd try this first."

"I think I'll be fine." Sasuke answered, onyx eyes watching her.

Kirei was silent, slipping into her painting trance, where she would be so focused, she'd forget about everything, as she explained. Even with the Uchiha's eyes on her, she forgot, solely focused on this painting.

He was silent as well, watching how delicate her painting hand was, taking slow, relaxed movements, while the other hand was set upon the canvas, keeping it still. As he watched, her eyes were even more delicate, blue eyes soft and…_**caring**_? He wasn't sure.

He recognized the look, although he couldn't place where he'd seen it before. The deep pristine blue of her eyes lured him in, even though she wasn't looking at him. Just the _**way**_ they looked at the painting, not the fact that they were blue, but that she had this mysterious look about her, wanted him to keep looking, to keep watching.

Did friends notice this about other friends? Again, he wasn't sure.

He looked her over, seeing the way she sat, her toes curling and uncurling, almost moving of free will, left arm set upon her leg, hand holding the canvas, her right arm trying to not shake or move, wrist delicately curved to make holding the brush easier.

He sighed. What was it about her…?

_"Da da dah um da dah, da da da, da dum da dah,_

_Da da dah um da dah, da da da, da dum da dah,_

_Hurry up and wait  
So close, but so far away  
Everything that you've always dreamed of  
Close enough for you to taste  
But you just can't touch,"_

Sasuke continued to watch, seeing Kirei's lips move, her voice moving along with the notes. It was soft and clear like a bell, but it was commanding, luring him in more. Was she even conscious of doing this, singing along softly with the song?

_"You wanna show the world, but no one knows your name yet  
Wonder when and where and how you're gonna make it  
You know you can if you get the chance  
In your face as the door keeps slamming  
Now you're feeling more and more frustrated  
And you're getting all kind of impatient waiting,_

_We live and we learn to take  
One step at a time  
There's no need to rush  
It's like learning to fly  
Or falling in love  
It's gonna happen when it's  
Supposed to happen that we  
Find the reasons why  
One step at a time,"_

He was sure, watching her, that she _**wasn't**_ conscious of singing. It was just something that happened during her focused state. It was amazing to see that she could sing along, perfect with the song and yet be in this trance.

Still, she was right.

He could feel his hear rate coming down and felt his eyes become tired, wanting to close and stay closed every time he blinked.

_"You believe and you doubt  
You're confused, you got it all figured out  
Everything that you always wished for  
Could be yours, should be yours, would be yours  
If they only knew_

You wanna show the world, but no one knows your name yet  
Wonder when and where and how you're gonna make it  
You know you can if you get the chance  
In your face as the door keeps slamming  
Now you're feeling more and more frustrated  
And you're getting all kind of impatient waiting,

_We live and we learn to take  
One step at a time  
There's no need to rush  
It's like learning to fly  
Or falling in love  
It's gonna happen when it's  
Supposed to happen that we  
Find the reasons why  
One step at a time,"_

Sasuke sighed. Her voice became more and more commanding, yet it was making him more and more sleepy. Even watching how her toes moved to the beat made him sleepy. Her eyes hadn't changed, maybe moved, but hadn't lost their caring look, even though at times, she'd shut them and sing.

He understood now.

_"When you can't wait any longer  
But there's no end in sight  
when you need to find the strength  
It's your faith that makes you stronger  
The only way you get there  
Is one step at a time…"_

It was the same as his passion for training and being a Ninja. That passion just had a different outlet.

Painting, singing, whatever she did in this room was her love. It meant the _**world**_ to her. He understood that now and loved it for all it was worth.

_"We live and we learn to take  
One step at a time  
There's no need to rush  
It's like learning to fly  
Or falling in love  
It's gonna happen when it's  
Supposed to happen that we  
Find the reasons why  
One step at a time_

_We live and we learn to take  
One step at a time  
There's no need to rush  
It's like learning to fly  
Or falling in love  
It's gonna happen when it's  
Supposed to happen that we  
Find the reasons why  
One step at a time…"_

Her lips stopped moving, despite how he wanted them to move. They rolled and were bit, but sleepy as he was, he didn't care. He was…at peace, a feeling he hadn't had in a _**long**_ time.

He sighed once more, shutting his eyes. "I'm gonna keep this secret."

In her trance, she was able to hear his words. "You better." When she glanced back at him, she had to double take. Her mouth dropped, seeing him.

Sasuke was asleep, head and arms on the armrest, torso and legs stretched out, almost like how Naruto slept.

She shook her head, smiling as she went back to painting. "What a character…" She wasn't sure how, but _**somehow**_, she had managed to lull the Uchiha, the most emo person she knew, who had no emotion, to sleep.

Kirei felt she'd just witnessed a miracle. Or preformed one.

Of which, she wasn't sure.

What she was sure of? He was adorable when he was asleep.

* * *

With light penetrating his eyelids, Sasuke slowly awoke, sighing as well. Oddly, he'd had the best sleep he'd had in a long time. He wasn't exactly sure of _**where**_ he was, but damn, did he sleep well. He didn't recognize the smell either.

It was a good smell, sweet and soft, but he couldn't…wait, yes, he could. This is just how Kirei smelled…which just meant the Uchiha was in her house.

Now he remembered, sighing as he stretched his muscles. He had gone running to Kirei after Itachi was hurt…and now he was in her art studio. At least, he hoped he was.

It would certainly take a lot for the blonde to move him. So, he rolled over, blinking his eyes open to get used to the light the glass door gave off. "Ki…" His voice faded off as he saw the blonde.

She was beside, but below, him, cushions supporting her instead of the wood floor, still asleep, back facing him. Like at Thanksgiving, she was half curled up, a blanket pulled up to her shoulders, arms on top of the blanket, hands curled up near her face.

Was it just Sasuke, or did she seem to _**glow**_ in the light?

Her skin wasn't as tan as her cousin's, probably from spending so much time inside, but it glowed softly, just like her hair, which seemed pure gold in the light. He wondered if her eyes would glow the same way, but he wouldn't want to wake her just for that.

She was too cute to wake up.

Alas, he _**had**_ to wake her up. He wasn't sure what time it was and it would be horribly rude to just get up and leave. She had taken care of him, it was only fair to repay her, even if he wasn't sure _**how**_ to repay her.

Sasuke reached his hand out, not moving too much and set his hand on her bare shoulder. He was almost shocked to feel her skin, feeling the huge difference between his calloused hands and her silky soft skin. "Kirei…" He said softly, shaking her shoulder gently. "Time to get up."

Kirei moaned softly, rolling toward him slightly. Just like all the times before, her eyes fluttered opened, looking directly at him.

His breath seemed to escape him. Wow, not even in direct sunlight, her eyes just _**lit**_ up. He'd never seen blue eyes like hers before. "You should've woken me up, silly."

She blinked, just staring at him.

Her gaze told him nothing.

"Good night." She mumbled, rolling back over and going to sleep.

He sighed, smiling. He let her go for a minute, hand still on her shoulder. What he didn't realize was that his thumb had started caressing the roundness of her shoulder. "I would've given you the couch." When he finally realized, he retracted his hand.

"No." She answered firmly. "You needed your sleep." She said, sighing as she stretched out. Her legs first, toes stretching in a fan like matter, hands and arms next, whimpering as she did. It wasn't a whimper as much a whine, but Sasuke couldn't decide which one. Either way, both were adorable.

"Yes, but it is _**your**_ house."

"And you are a guest." She argued back. "Plus," She began again, shaking her head as she sat up, ruffling out her hair. "It's not like I could move you anyway."

Sasuke chuckled. She had him there.

Removing her blanket, she got up, stretching her legs once more, her ankles cracking. "But, I've got some errands to run today,"

He wasn't exactly sure of what she said, too focused on her legs. Sure, he'd seen them before, but now…wow…Like the rest of her, they just glowed in the sunlight. They were thin and smooth, but that suited her.

"So, you're welcome to join me or you can do whatever you want today." She finished, turning on her toes and looking over at him.

He'd heard the last part. He could join her or not. It was simple. What wasn't simple was deciding what to do.

Most of his life, Sasuke was alone…or at least, he felt like he was. No one took the time to understand what he had been through. Itachi did and for that, Sasuke was thankful. He had someone he could talk to and rant to. After a while, this began to disappear because he was off filming and Itachi was always on missions, so Sasuke felt more alone than ever.

Enter Naruto, who became another close person to Sasuke. He may not've understood the Uchiha and what he went through, but he _**did**_ listen and listening was half the key. That's why they remained friends to this day and why Sasuke valued him so much.

But now…Sasuke had someone who would listen _**and**_ understand. She'd been in a similar situation, so she could understand him more than anyone. What's more, she _**cared**_.

She wasn't a listener who didn't care about people; she cared very much.

Furthermore, he began to really enjoy her company. She was loud and happy, a Namikaze trait, yet calm and sweet.

"Sure," He began, rolling on his back. "I'll go."

Itachi wasn't home, so he didn't have anything to do there. Filming was canceled for the day…and with her, he wouldn't be alone.

Not being alone…

What a great feeling to know that he wasn't alone anymore.

* * *

"Come on, you emo!! We're _**almost**_ there!!" Kirei cried, pulling the Uchiha along through the mildly busy streets.

With one hand in his pocket, the other wrenched along by Kirei, he walked, watching her with a smile. "Okay, okay, I'm coming." He answered, looking around. He'd been down these streets a few times, but never during the day. He never liked traveling through crowds, being bumped by people and such, along with the heat of the day…it was just too much.

But Kirei had managed to lead them through alleys and down streets to get to where she wanted in less time, with less people around.

"Where are we going again?" He asked, forgetting for the millionth time.

She sighed, huffing. "We're going to a paint shop!!" She exclaimed, looking at him with a frown.

In all actuality, he hadn't forgot. He just liked to see her flustered and turn to look at him. "Okay."

She smiled, turning around and leading him along again. "You're so weird."

"So are you." He replied, seeing how she took a bounce in her step.

She giggled a bit, answering him. "I guess we're two peas in a pod, huh?" She turned right out of the alley they were traveling down, continuing a few houses down and finally stopped. "We're here!!"

Coming up behind her, still holding her hand, he looked at the shop. It wasn't anything great, but it at least looked like it was still standing.

Smiling while pulling him inside, the door jingled. "I'm back, Stalker!" She called, leading him further inside.

It was a small store, paints, paintbrushes, paint books, sketchbooks, anything, everywhere. It was an artist's paradise.

"Is that my girl I hear?!" A woman's voice called from beyond the counter.

Kirei came up to the counter, Sasuke behind her. "Saiya," Kirei called out, watching the door beyond her reach. "I have someone I want you to meet!"

"Is he cute?!" She immediately replied, coming from the room that the door hid. She wasn't much older than themselves, maybe in her late 20s, a redheaded woman, green eyes looking a little less than alive. Her glasses were pushed up by her finger, but slipped back down.

Kirei avoided the question altogether. "Sasuke, this is Saiya. Her grandfather owns the shop, she runs it. Saiya, this is Sasuke, one of my best friends."

Sasuke nodded at her, deciding to stay silent.

"Nice to meet you." She smiled, nodding as well. "But, if you don't mind, I've got stuff to restock, bills to deliver." She was a very busy woman. "Kirei, if you wouldn't mind taking these," With a huff, Saiya set a few bags of groceries on the counter. "up to Gramps?"

Smiling, Kirei shook her head. "No problem."

In a flash, Saiya left the store. "Bye, guys! Nice to meet you, cutie!!"

Sasuke sighed, noticing that Kirei had let his hand go and had gone behind the counter, grabbing the bags in her arms. "Is she – "

"Yes," Kirei answered with a small smile, a bit embarrassed. "She's always like that. Don't mind it."

Sasuke took her advice.

"Just stay right here while I run these up. The old man is blind and his dog isn't nice to everyone…so I don't want you getting hurt." She explained, huffing as she picked up the bags, bringing them away from the counter. "I won't be long."

He nodded, seeing her leave through the door Saiya came out off. Turning, he leaned on the counter, sighing and watching the people walk around through the large glass windows. He didn't mind the wait, having been drug around for the past…2 hours now? Maybe. It was nice to have a relaxing moment.

Before he drifted off, his mind wandering again, he could've sworn he saw something he didn't want to see. Two men in black cloaks, red clouds decorated on them; the Akatsuki.

He saw them look up and even point up, but what was upstairs that they could…

Sasuke's mind became frantic, heartbeat rising, hearing the dog upstairs growl and bark, along with a scream.

They were after Kirei.

* * *

Teleporting upstairs, Sasuke had to immediately dodge a few Kunai and a dog, landing near the door.

"He's here. We must leave." The one member spoke to the other, eyes not leaving Sasuke.

Looking around, he found the one member on him, the other standing in front of Kirei, who was pinned to the wall by means of Shuriken. "_**Shit**_…" He cursed softly, seeing her.

The other member nodded, but leaned in, whispering something to Kirei and suddenly vanishing in smoke.

Running over to her, Sasuke cleared the smoke, not actually knowing if she was there. "Thank god…" He sighed, seeing her still up against the wall.

She was still there. Still in one piece. Scared, but in one piece.

When he pulled the shuriken from her clothing, she jumped down, sighing the biggest sigh of her life. "I know, right?"

"Are you okay?" He asked, wondering why she wasn't as startled as she should be. They could've killed her, or worse, taken her _**alive**_.

Dusting off her clothes with shaking hands, she nodded. "Yeah…I mean, they didn't harm me or anything…That one guy just told me, "You are mine."." She mocked, starting to clean the somewhat messed up apartment.

Sasuke sighed. She was scared, but not as much as she should be. He figured it was because he was there. "We should probably head back to the loft then."

Smiling as she calmed down the dog and picked up some of the dropped groceries, she said, "Well, I have _**one**_ more errand to run."

"Okay, just this one." He relented, seeing how she pouted when he was about to refuse. That pout was irresistible.

* * *

As soon as she had cleaned the mess, they waited for Saiya. When she came back, they left, happy to be heading out.

Like every time before, Kirei was leading Sasuke with a bounce in her step. She wasn't sure if he was going to like this errand, but it had to be done.

Sasuke let her lead him along and suspected nothing. Only when the streets were more crowded and when he began to recognize where there were going did alarms start going off in his brain.

Sighing as she stopped, she felt his hand tense. "I know you don't want to see him, Sasuke," She said, turning to face him. "But you've got to, okay?"

Sasuke reverted to his child-like state. "Mm-mm. I don't wanna see him." He began to pull away from her.

"I'll be right there with you." She made eye contact, using her softest look to convince him. "You need to do this."

He looked up at the large white building with a bit of fear. If he saw Itachi, something was bound to happen; it was his luck.

Look what happened to Kirei just now. It was all because _**he**_ was with her.

He was drawn from his thoughts when Kirei tugged on his hand. "It'll be fine, okay?" She reached a hand up, running it through his hair. "Okay?"

He nodded.

"That's it." She smiled, keeping her hand in his. She knew it was crucial to keep contact with him, because contact with someone signified that they were there, that they weren't leaving him. And right now, that's what Sasuke needed.

Just someone to be there with him.

* * *

Kirei tried not to laugh or chuckle, seeing the Uchiha fidget and falter. He stayed directly behind her at all times, using her as a shield.

For all his life he'd hated hospitals. All the white, the smell of death and blood, the needles…it was more than enough to drive him away. But Kirei was there. She would protect him from these things.

Coming up to the registration desk, Kirei smiled, seeing the Uchiha basically cringe at every sight and hold onto her hand for dear life.

"May I help you?" The receptionist asked, rolling over to the desk in a chair.

"Uchiha Itachi's room, please." Kirei replied, signing into the book on the ledge.

The woman nodded, looking through a log. "Hmmm… Room 59."

Kirei nodded, flashing a smile. "Thanks." Turning to Sasuke, she shook her head. Was it just her, or had the Uchiha suddenly turned 5yrs old? "Come on, sweets." Gently she led him along, already knowing where she was going.

Sasuke hesitantly followed, gulping.

When would this trip be over?

* * *

"Room 59." Kirei said, reading the panel beside the door. "We're here."

"I don't wanna be here." Sasuke said softly, hand still wrapped in hers. He looked for an exit, finding a nice sized window just a few feet away….

She sighed, trying to catch her eyes with his. "Sasuke, look at me."

He did so, black eyes a little wider than normal.

"Now, I'm only gonna say this _**once**_." She warned, her voice unusually hushed and commanding, bringing him to pay attention. "I _**know**_ how you feel, trust me, I do." She spoke, eyes closed. "But, if you don't see him, you're gonna regret it. I know, I regret all the times I never wanted to see Daisuke in the hospital because I was scared of what he looked like and how he was." She looked at him again, making her point clear. "I didn't have anyone to force me to go see him, like I'm forcing you now. I'm not gonna let it happen to you, okay?"

He sighed, some of his senses coming back. "Yeah."

Smiling, she set her free hand on the door, opening it and leading Sasuke inside. "Itachi?" She asked, seeing only one bed in the room, the tv in the corner on, but not up loud.

Seeing both of them there and holding hands, Itachi almost choked. "Hey." He said softly, watching the two of them.

Kirei was, for the most part, calm and collected, doing her best to bring up two chairs next to the bed with one hand.

His brother, Sasuke, on the other hand was fidgety and flustered, almost like he didn't want to be there. Itachi could tell that Sasuke wasn't about to let the blondes' hand go.

Sitting, Kirei sighed. "We decided to come see you." She said, poking Sasuke with her finger. "Say hello."

Sasuke looked away from both of them. "…hi…"

Chuckling, Kirei shook her head. "He's a little – "

"Scared, upset, nervous?" Itachi answered, watching his little brother. All in all, he wasn't surprised. "Yeah, I can tell."

She giggled a bit, finding how well Itachi could read him cute, yet very handy. "How're you feeling?"

Sasuke listened in, bringing his sight closer to Itachi. He _**did**_ want to know, after all.

"Good." Itachi said, shifting the pillows from behind him. It was hard to stay seated like that all day long without moving something around every once in a while. "A little sore, a little tired…but I'm fine."

Kirei's gaze turned to Sasuke, leaning forward to get his attention. "See? I told you he'd be fine."

Raising an eyebrow, Itachi looked at the two of them. "Spent the night at your house?"

She nodded. "Yeah." Focusing back on Sasuke, she tried to get him to open up. "Ask him something."

He sighed, looking down. "Do you want some dango?" He wasn't fond of sweets, but knew his brother was, so maybe getting some of them would make him feel better. When he finally looked up, he found his brother back at him.

"Dango sounds like heaven." He answered, smirking at his brother while reaching out to tousle his hair.

Sasuke growled as he did. "I'll…get you some…then." He said between gritted teeth.

"You _**better**_." Itachi answered with a chuckle, removing his hand before Sasuke resorted to biting him. "And you better get me a _**lot**_."

"You're paying for it."

Itachi play gasped. "Oh come on, you can't be giving _**once**_ in you're life?! I'm hurt!" He smiled, seeing the glare on his brother's face. "Fine. Be that way." He smirked, shaking his head. "_**Emo**_."

"I'm not – "

"Kirei, are you okay?" Itachi asked, his smirk fading when he looked over at the blonde who sat next to his brother.

Hearing this, Sasuke also looked over, finding her shaking her head a bit, almost like she was breaking herself from a trance. He couldn't help but notice the tears rolling down her cheeks slowly.

Before either of them got to ask, she pulled her hand away, quickly getting up and leaving the room.

Although, Itachi already knew why she left. He sighed, closing his eyes.

Looking down, Sasuke sighed as well. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked quietly.

Itachi opened his eyes, staring widely at the sheets of his bed. Did Sasuke _**really**_ ask that question? Looking over, Itachi saw his eyes at the floor and smiled. "No. You're so emo, thinking _**you**_ cause everything…"

In this, Sasuke looked up. "Than why…why was she crying?" He thought maybe it had something do to with Daisuke…but _**how**_ could she have been reminded of him?

_**Wow**_, oh wow. Itachi tried not to laugh. _'You've got it __**bad**__, Sasuke…'_ He thought, seeing the sad look in the onyx eyes his brother and he had. "Sasuke, you know about Daisuke, right?"

Widening his eyes at his brother, he tilted his head. "How do you know about – "

"I went on a few missions with him before." Itachi explained, remembering the blonde/brunette who'd mentioned his younger sister a few times. "I knew who he was when he said his last name, and who she was when she came here."

"…" Sasuke listened, understanding that part. "But I still don't – "

"Sasuke, you know how much she loves her brother, right?" He asked his brother, not loosing eye contact. It was important in any conversation.

"Yeah." Sasuke answered, remembering her story from 3 months ago, on the rooftop. "Even though he's dead, she really loves him. Anything he did, she loved…stuff like that."

Itachi nodded. "That's right."

The guinea pig in Sasuke's brain began running on its wheel. "She said just a few minutes ago that she's been in a situation like this before…"

Itachi let his brother come to the realization he'd figured out the moment he saw Kirei leave.

"And she was watching us…does that mean she could've been reminded of him? And _**that's**_ why she was crying?" He asked, looking up at his brother for an answer. Now thinking about it, Itachi _**always**_ had an answer for him. Sometimes, Sasuke didn't even get to ask the question, just getting an answer.

That's when Itachi scared Sasuke.

He nodded, glad his brother figured it out. "Yep."

"Can you wait here a few minutes?" He asked as he stood up.

"Sasuke," Itachi began, looking skeptically at his brother. "I'm in a hospital. After surgery. I'm not going anywhere." Sometimes he wondered about Sasuke.

"Okay." Sasuke nodded. "I'll be right back."

Watching him leave, Itachi smiled and shook his head. "Those two…"

* * *

Walking out of the room, Sasuke looked down the hall, looking for Kirei. When he saw her leaning against the wall, looking out the window, still crying, he came out of his shell, knowing that he couldn't act like a child forever.

Right now, she needed someone to be there for her. Someone to listen and understand.

Right now, she needed _**him**_.

He walked up slowly, trying to catch her sight. She had taken the time to take care of him when he most needed her, pushed him to do something he didn't want to do and most of all, was just there for him.

Being there for her was the least he could do.

She sighed heavily, rolling her lips while shutting her eyes tightly. Opening her eyes to blink away tears, she caught the raven standing there, looking at her with the softest look she'd ever seen from him. "…I-I'm really sorry, Sasuke," She stepped off the wall, facing him, still crying. "it was really rude to just – "

Without words, he looked at her softly, pulling her into his arms.

Shocked at first, Kirei relaxed, stepping closer to the Uchiha, her hands gripping his shirt, crying into his chest.

His gaze softened, hearing her cry, feeling it close to his heart. His left hand found it's way to the top of her head, petting her soft hair, right hand rubbing her back, securing her close to him.

Sobbing, she spoke into his chest. "I miss him _**so**_ much…"

He continued to rub her back, feeling how she breathed in and out raggedly, how she sobbed here and there.

"You _**promise**_ me, Sasuke." She said, gripping his shirt even more, trying to get her point across. "You come see him _**every**_ day, _**every**_ time he's in the hospital."

He nodded. "I promise." He whispered softly, still rubbing her back at an even pace, petting her head. "Every time…"

Her grip loosened a little, knowing that he'd keep his promise. He never broke them before, why would he start?

Just as her grip loosened, he began to pull away from her, setting his hands on her shoulders. Instead of letting him go, she tried pulling herself closer. She didn't want to let him go, not just yet.

"_**Kirei**_," He said softly, trying to get her to let his shirt go. "I'm not gonna leave you." Her grip loosened a bit, allowing him to move away from her, just enough to kneel slightly so that he was looking up at her. "I'm right here." Using his right hand, he dried her tears, bringing watery blue eyes to look at him.

Despite her state, they were mesmerizing blue eyes.

"_**Always**_?" She asked, hands still lingering on his shirt, eyes never wavering.

He sighed. "Maybe not always…But I'll be there whenever you need me to be."

Kirei sobbed, starting to cry more.

Sasuke continued to dry her eyes. "I think it's time we headed back to your loft." He said, standing straight up.

Letting her hands slip from his shirt, she immediately latched both of them onto his hand, bringing his arm around her shoulders. "Can you stay again?"

He was happy to thread his arm over her shoulders, her hand still latched with his. Having her this close made him happy. "You didn't need to ask." Instead of her leading him, he led her, beginning to walk out of the hospital.

"What about Itachi?" Kirei asked, still drying her eyes and sniffling a bit, looking up at him with child like eyes.

Looks like the roles were reversed.

"He just got out of surgery. He'll be here for a while." He answered, smirking at her. "Plus, I think you need me more than he does." It was his turn to take care of her.

She giggled softly, letting her head rest on his shoulder. "Okay, Sasuke."

Itachi wasn't going to be getting his Dango anytime soon.

* * *

Hours later, upon the couch in the living room, Sasuke used his toes to reach for the remote on the coffee table, not wanting to disrupt the sleeping creature nearly on top of him. Once he had the remote in his hands, he shut off the tv, setting the remote on the table beside him.

The sleeping creature was a worn out Kirei, eyes dry, fast asleep. She was curled up with him, almost in the exact same position when they were in Suna.

At least this time one of them _**wasn't**_ dying, there weren't threats of monsters and both were relaxed.

Looking down at her, seeing the slight smile on her face, Sasuke leaned toward her, wanting to kiss the top of her head, but stopped. Friends don't kiss each other…_**do**_ they?

He shook his head, clearing the thought from his mind. Friends definitely _**didn't**_ kiss each other. Reaching up with the hand that sat upon her waist, he grabbed the blanket on the back of the couch, behind the two of them, unfolding it to the best of his ability, lying it overtop Kirei.

Seeing her smile again and seeing how she snuggled close to him when he set the blanket on her, he smiled, feeling the want to kiss her arise again.

"Oh, what the hell…" Sasuke mumbled, pecking her very gently on her golden locks. "It's not like she'll remember _**anyway**_…"

She may not remember it, but he sure would.

He wouldn't forget for a _**long**_ time.


	9. Prom

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD Beauty and the Beast is copyright by Disney. "A Moment like this" Owned by Kelly Clarkson and her record company.

_Notes/Warnings: _None this chapter. As a note, yes this story has an OC. Yes, it has Yaoi. Yes, the OC is related to someone on the show.

_**DEAL**_.

If you don't like it, don't read or review. Just hit the button that says, "Back" Or the little backspace key on your keyboard.

This update is so long overdue and for that, I'm sorry. School started last Wednesday and I wanted to get settled in before going back to writing. It will be a bit slower than in the summer, but I will try to "regularly" update. I was going to update on Friday, but I ended up going on a small "vacation" with my best friend, in which we had a strange first night. We ended up doing surgery on my PS2 because a disc was caught in the disc drive. My Okami disc was stuck. _**OKAMI**_. (For those of you who don't know, I'm **obsessed** with the game). We had 3 sharp knives, a plastic knife, a pair of tweezers, two pliers and our own hands. Her Grandpa was magic and got it out **_UNDAMAGED_**. Any, this is my favorite chapter, I hope you like it!!

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!

* * *

_Chapter 9 – Prom_

* * *

"But Nii-san – " Kirei cried, following her cousin as he walked away from her.

Furious, Naruto turned around, making both of them stop. "I said _**no**_, Kirei! What don't you get about that?!"

She cringed under his voice, but retorted right back. "But you don't get how much it means to me!! I mean, I even – "

"I don't want to hear it!" He snapped. "It's simple. I'm gonna be out of town. You don't have a date I can trust, you can't go!"

Kirei felt her heart ache and eyes well up with angered tears, but she tried to convince him. "That's not _**fair**_!!"

Naruto did not glare, but raised his voice and the commanding tone within it. "I don't care if it's fair or not! You're not going!"

"But – " Kirei was on the verge of tears.

Staring her directly in the eyes, he meant every word he said. "Go home, Kirei. Go home and stay there." He turned away from her, shutting his eyes and walking off.

Kirei felt every tense muscle in her body fall limp, shocked and upset. "_**Fine**_!" She growled, glaring at him as he walked away. "I hate you, Naruto!!" She cried, shutting her eyes as tears spilled over, turning and running away from him.

Everyone had heard the spat between the two blondes, even Sasuke, who was just arriving on the grounds.

He looked back and forth between the two, until Kirei disappeared from sight into the woods. Naruto continued to walk, even though Sasuke was quite sure the blonde didn't know where he wanted to go. "What's going on?" He asked, walking further into the grounds, coming up beside Hinata.

She sighed heavily, shaking her head. "We're not all that sure."

Noticing it now, everyone seemed worried. In their history, or a least, known history, the blondes had _**never**_ fought before. Neither one ever used their names before either.

"We were all getting ready and we heard them shouting." She explained further, mumbling, "Poor things…"

"Hinata," Sakura began, looking at her as she grabbed a donut and coffee from the food table. "Why don't you go check on Naruto?"

Even without her question, Hinata was going to do it. She just wanted her boyfriend to calm down first. "Yeah, I will."

Before Sakura got to ask, Sasuke was already off in Kirei's direction.

"Looks like the plan's working well." Hinata mused, heading off toward Naruto.

Sakura chuckled a bit and smiled.

When she came up to him, he didn't bother acknowledging her, simply leaning against a tree for support.

"Hey, sweetie." She said softly, standing in front of him, trying to get him to look her in the eyes. "It's okay." She reached out for him and as she did, he collapsed in a heap, she kneeling with him.

"I feel like shit."

She nodded. "Yeah, we all do after a fight." She remembered countless times when Neji and herself would fight. Some of them were over Naruto, but that didn't matter at the moment. "She'll be fine, she's a tough girl."

He held his head in his hands, regretting the whole fight. "I didn't mean to _**yell**_ at her, Hina…" He shook his head. "She just wouldn't give it up, and I won't let something happen to her."

She nodded, hugging him as best she could in the position he was in. "I know you won't, sweetie…"

He felt a "but" coming on.

"But, you can't keep her in a glass case all her life. You've gotta let her do things she wants to do and trust her enough to know she'll be okay." Hinata told him, planting a kiss on his short gold locks.

He nodded. "I do trust her…I just worry…"

"We all do, hun." She smiled, brining his face up to hers, eyes locking. "It's a part of your being. You're gonna worry no matter what she does."

Naruto sighed, moving so that his back was resting on the tree. He pulled Hinata into his arms, wanting to hold her and play with her hair. "I don't _**want**_ to worry about her. If I could just turn her into a frog and put her in a shoebox forever, I'd be happy."

Chuckling, Hinata shook her head. "You can't do that, silly."

He smiled, kissing her locks just as she did before. "I'm gonna find a way."

She sighed, smiling.

* * *

Sasuke wasn't exactly sure what had happened between the two blondes, looking around the trees to find Kirei. By now, she'd've collapsed, finding a tree to lean against, crying.

Because of this thought, Sasuke increased his pace. He always hated to see her cry. Just as he thought about her and her crying, Sasuke smirked, seeing the blonde's hunched over position against a tree, hearing her cry.

She was just in the position he thought she'd be in, knees brought up slightly, her arms crossed on them, resting her head on her arms, hair curtaining around her.

He made his steps silent as he came up, not wanting to alarm her. He kneeled right beside her, gently placing a hand on her back, rubbing it. "Hey there." He said softly.

She hiccupped, drying her eyes before picking up her head. "Hey." She mumbled, looking at him with watery eyes, attempting a small smile.

"I heard the end of the fight." If Sasuke was good at one thing, it was getting straight to the point. If he was great at one thing, it was able to make Kirei talk _**about**_ that point.

She wrinkled her nose in a growl like manner, turning her head away from him. "I don't wanna talk about that."

He smirked, sitting next her, relieving the ache on his ankles. "Too bad." Taking his hand from her back, he tousled her hair, earning a cringe and giggle. "Talk."

"No." She answered, head still turned from him, smile on her face. She always loved to argue with the Uchiha, even if he won every argument.

"Yes." He commanded, using the hand on her head to turn it toward him. "_**Talk**_." He repeated, keeping eye contact with her.

She sighed, eyes slipping shut and opening again. "Do you know what prom is?"

He nodded a bit. "Somewhat. It's a dance at your school, isn't it?"

"Yeah," She nodded, shifting a bit. "and since I'm a senior, I can go this year."

He listened in silence.

"When I asked about going, Nii-san told me I could go, only if I had a date that he trusted." She looked away from onyx eyes, sighing again. "And I had a date, a really nice guy at my school that I actually don't hate."

Sasuke found that a bit surprising, seeing how Kirei hated nearly everyone at the school.

"He called me yesterday and said he wasn't able to go. I told him it was alright – "

"You knew it wasn't. You knew Naruto would explode." He finished for her, watching how her eyes darted around.

"Uh-huh. So I _**tried**_ to talk to him about it," She could feel tears coming to her eyes again, but did her best to keep them back. She hated it when people saw her cry. "And that's what we were fighting about."

He nodded, understanding. She wanted to go, but he wouldn't let her go without a guy he trusted. Knowing him, Naruto was probably too worried to let her go alone, even though he wouldn't tell her that.

"But he doesn't understand." She said, shoulders moving as she sighed heavily, a tone of sadness in her voice. "You remember seeing my studio about a month ago, and now?"

Sasuke didn't need to think back to a month ago, when Itachi was hurt. He came regularly to her studio, using the glass doors to let himself in. Kirei never bothered looking, it was _**always**_ him who came. "Yeah."

"There was a dress in there, right?" She asked, leading him along with questions.

He wondered where she was going with this. "Yes…it was gold, wasn't it?"

Kirei nodded. "It's the _**exact**_ same as Belle's dress from Beauty and the Beast." She rolled her lips, a sign that she was trying to hold back tears. "I made that dress _**just**_ for prom, so for once I could feel like a princess. But he doesn't understand that, Sasuke." She sighed, setting her forehead back on her arms. "I've wanted to wear that dress since I was 4 years old and now I can't!" She cried, her chest heaving slightly as she started to cry.

Sasuke looked on at her, rubbing her back again. He couldn't understand her situation all that well, but knew that this was truly important to her. Sighing, he smirked. "Naruto said you can only go if someone he trust's goes with you, right?" He asked, still rubbing her back, trying to catch her sight, leaning forward a bit to do so.

Picking up her head slightly, Kirei knew that tone in his voice. That tone that meant he had a plan. "Yeah." She mumbled, nodding, looking at him.

"Who better to go with you than his best friend?" He asked, his smirk growing as the question registered in her brain.

Her eyes dried quickly, hope filling her eyes. "You'd do that?"

"If it means that much to you, yeah. I'll go with you." Before Sasuke knew it, his back was on the ground, the blonde having glomped him with such force, it knocked him over.

"Oh, my god, oh, my god, thank you!!" She screamed, grin as wide as always.

"You're gonna make me deaf, Kirei." He said smiling, shaking his head, trying to sit up. When he succeeded, she let him go.

Still smiling and very excited, Kirei wasn't sure what to do. She squealed loudly, not sure what else to do. "Oh, I'm so _**excited**_!!"

Setting a hand on her head, he tousled her hair again. "You're too much, Kirei."

As always, she cringed and giggled, very happy. She was going to be the princess she always wanted to be. "I know."

* * *

Sasuke hated coming here; he loathed it. But he had to. "Itachi?"

"Oh, guys, look who decided to come see us!" A silver haired man called out, coming up to the Uchiha. "It's the asshole!"

"Leave me alone, Hidan." Sasuke spat, taking a precautionary step away from the silver haired man, but also keeping his distance from the other members.

Every time he came, they tortured him in some way.

Hidan's statement did what Sasuke didn't want it to do; Alert the rest of Akatsuki to his presence.

"Oh really, un?" Deidara asked, looking up from his clay work, Sasori beside him. Seeing how Hidan pulled Sasuke into a headlock, he smiled. "Where's cutie, uh?" He asked, not caring if Sasuke could breathe or not. He wanted to know if they'd gotten together yet.

Growling, he answered. "At the other grounds."

These grounds were rarely traveled by anyone other than Akatsuki, or at least the actors who played Akatsuki and the crew who filmed them. Sasuke rarely ventured up here, only doing so if he desperately needed to.

Unfortunately for him, he desperately needed to see Itachi.

"Would you get the hell off me?!"

Hidan simply laughed, loving when he tortured Sasuke. Since he didn't get to torture him all that much, Hidan tortured him as much as he could when he came around.

"Aw, look who it is…" Itachi smirked as he walked up, his shark like friend, Kisame beside him. "My lovely little brother."

Sasuke never thought he'd call his brother a savior, but in these instances, he was. "I need to talk to you." He said, fixing his hair that Hidan ruined, trying to ignore the other members, while keeping an eye on Hidan. He didn't want to be jumped and knew the zealot would try it.

Itachi raised an eyebrow at his little brother, wondering what he could want. "Okay then, follow me." As he and Sasuke walked away from the group, Itachi shot them a look.

They snickered and smiled, knowing this look. The look that meant Sasuke was finally coming to Itachi for help with the girl he liked.

"Okay, _**betting**_ time!" Kakuzu called as soon as the two were out of distance, pulling out a piece of paper.

* * *

"What's up?" Itachi asked, seeing his brother sit on the grass. Very rare was it that he sat when he talked to Itachi, meaning that this talk was going to be longer than others.

Sasuke sighed heavily first, not sure how to say it. "Well…" He started off. "Do you know what "Prom" is?"

Itachi couldn't hold back a smile.

"What?" Sasuke asked with narrowing eyes, fearing the oddly happy look on his brother's face.

"You're taking Kirei, _**aren't**_ you?" He asked, voice very devious, smirk growing into a grin.

This was another time Itachi scared Sasuke.

Slowly, he nodded, fearing what his brother would do to him. "…yeah…And I'm not sure what to do. I mean, do I pick her up or do we meet up at the dance? Is it formal or not?"

Ah, being an older brother was _**great**_. Always having the upper hand, the better advice, all the answers…it was a great thing. He sighed. "It's really all up to Kirei, Sasuke." He answered, about to continue. "I mean – "

"She said she wanted to be a princess. " Sasuke cut him off, informing him of what she said, hoping it would get him somewhere.

Itachi smiled. "That's a great place to start. But I don't want to tell you what to do, Sasuke. This is _**your**_ date, not mine." He added, knowing full well that Sasuke would point out it's not a date.

"It's not a date." Sasuke corrected, scowling at his brother. "I'm just taking her so that she'll be happy."

Not wanting to anger his brother, Itachi nodded, still smiling. "Alright, it's not a date. But if she said she wanted to be a princess for this one night, you should center around that."

Sasuke thought back to all the movies he'd seen and been forced to see, ideas beginning to formulate in his mind. If he wanted to make Kirei happy, especially on that night, he had to pick the _**best**_ of the best ideas and do _**whatever**_ he could to make them come true. "How much money can I spend?"

Seeing as how the Uchiha's were rich, inheriting the whole fortune when the incident happened and how they were both highly paid ninja, money was not an issue for the two. "As much as it takes to make her happy."

He sighed, now knowing money wasn't a hindrance. "Okay." Stretching, he stood up, ready to leave, hopefully without being tortured. The only way to do that was to teleport. "Thanks, Itachi."

Nodding as his brother vanished, Itachi went back down to the group, smiling.

Kakuzu looked up, barely seeing the raven through the group surrounding him. "Wanna place a bet on when they're gonna get together, Itachi?"

"July 23."

Slowly, all of them turned to look at him, stunned.

"But…" Kisame started off, one of the few who could speak. "Isn't that his _**birthday**_?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes."

Sasori raised an eyebrow, silently asking for an answer.

"What better present than the girl he loves?"

Soon, Kakuzu was pummeled with bets for the 23 of July, Sasuke's 19th birthday.

If Itachi had predicted it, it was right. Itachi had the answers for everything.

Always.

* * *

About a week later, on a slightly warm Friday night, Sasuke stood at the door of Kirei's loft, nervous as nervous could be.

He didn't look nervous at all, wearing a crisp black suit, the only splash of color the blue tie he wore around his neck. He had many suits in his closet, but because of the occasion, felt he needed a new one.

Standing there, looking calm and collected, Sasuke felt anything but calm. On the inside, his heart felt like it would explode out of his chest, his stomach doing jumping jacks. Unlike any other time, he knew _**why**_ he was nervous.

With everything he'd set up for the night, he hoped that Kirei would not like it, but love it.

Plus, he hadn't seen what she looked like yet. He knew she'd be beautiful, but as they say, seeing is different than imagining.

Drawing a deep breath and exhaling, he finally mustered up some courage and knocked on the door.

"One second!" Kirei called from the other side as she came down the steps, holding her custom made dress up to get down the stairs. It fit like a dream and Kirei only hoped Sasuke liked it. She had spent the whole day getting her nails done, her hair styled in nearly the same way Belle's had been in the movie.

Arriving at the door, it was the moment of truth.

As the door opened, Sasuke felt his heart race, his mouth open slightly, eyes widening when he saw her.

She was drop dead gorgeous; hair pulled halfway up, slightly curled to rest on her bare shoulders, the skin shown glowing lightly in the fading light of day. Even her eyes glowed, just as they did before, her lips shining slightly.

He knew she was going to be beautiful, but boy was he surprised. His nerves were shocked for only seconds, coming back to him rather quickly, making him gulp. "Y-you look…"

She giggled, stepping out the door and turning around fully for him. "You like it?" She couldn't help but smile as wide as she could. Her dream was starting to come true.

He couldn't speak, tongue caught. So he nodded.

"Thank you." Stepping closer, she sighed. "So, exactly how are we getting to the school?" She knew the Uchiha had some plan in motion; he always did. She just wondered what it was.

"Well," He said, her words knocking him from his trance. "Why don't you just look over there?" Standing behind her, he pointed over her shoulder, smiling. She was going to love this.

Kirei's eyes followed his finger, widening at the sight of a white horse-drawn carriage, two shiny white horses latched to it. Her breath caught in her chest as she gasped. "You…no…but…how…"

She was literally at a loss for words, looking at the Uchiha with a smile on her face.

He stepped out from behind her, holding his hand out for her, smirking. "Your carriage awaits, Princess."

Without knowing what to say and not having control of her mouth at the moment, she took his hand, letting him lead her to the carriage.

He opened the door on the side of the small red rose covered carriage, helping her up the steps before getting in himself. He ushered her to the small seat in the back, sitting next to her. "What do you think?" Sasuke asked, finally finding his voice as he looked over at her. He chuckled when he saw her, looking at every part of the carriage.

"I love it." She replied breathlessly. "All of it." She moved her dress, making it more comfortable to sit next to him, sighing a deep sigh.

"Just wait until you see the rest of what I've got planned, Princess."

* * *

"Shhh." Sasuke shushed Kirei, leading her along the schools' dark hallways. "It's a surprise."

She sighed, wondering what he could have up his sleeve now.

The night had gone perfectly so far for the both of them.

Kirei had never been happier in her life. Even though the Uchiha didn't dance, he was with her at all times, holding her if she wanted to be held, getting her cake if she wanted it…he was…_**perfect**_ so far.

Sasuke had never felt this way before; this light feeling on his heart, like there wasn't a care in the world. There was only _**her**_. He couldn't really describe it, nor could he place it. He just felt…happy. It didn't matter what he was doing, or where he was, as long as he was with her, this feeling was there, in his mind and in his heart. And there he wanted it to remain.

"Will I like this surprise?" She asked, having her eyes closed, as per Sasuke's instructions. Her heart was only slightly racing, her mind wondering what he could _**possibly**_ surprise her with next.

"I hope." Sasuke barely said, sighing as he stopped right where he wanted to. "Shhh." He repeated, this loud enough for her to hear.

She smiled, feeling him stop, her hands in his, unable to quiet a giggle. "Can I open my eyes now?"

Silently, he opened both glass doors, making sure the scene was set. "Not yet." He just had to flip on the lights…

"Now?" She asked, excitement growing in her chest.

He stepped beside the door, not hindering the view. "_**Now**_."

Eyes fluttering open, they viewed the most beautiful scene her eyes had ever been graced with.

Doors wide open, the School's famous Red Rose garden was laid in front of her, roses glistening like rubies in the soft light of the fountain lights. Small lights were strung around the stone paths of the garden, giving off a mystic type glow, making everything seem like it was from a fairytale.

Right beside the door was her Prince, standing with a smile, waiting for her expectantly. "Do you like it?" He asked as she took the steps to meet him.

She was absolutely breathless, astounded by the beauty of the garden. "Sasuke, this is…" She began, trying to find the words. "This is _**incredible**_. I've never seen roses like this before."

He took that as a yes. "I'm glad you like it."

She was looking at the roses, but at his comment, looked over at him. "Like it?" She walked over to him, staring him in the eyes, noticing how soft they were. "I _**love**_ it."

Sasuke found himself in a trance, not wanting to look away from her eyes, loving how soft and thankful they were. "Take a walk with me." He asked in the form of a command, almost whispering it.

She nodded, letting him close the doors behind them before coming back to her.

Lacing her fingers with his, she set her head on his shoulder, letting him lead them along through the garden.

"You're shaming my dreams, Sasuke." She said softly, not wanting to ruin the mood by speaking too loud. It was too good a mood to ruin.

He spoke just as soft as her. "Am I?" He couldn't stop smiling, leading her along.

"Big time." She answered. "I've dreamed about this night for years on end…and this is so much better than I'd _**ever**_ dreamed of."

He felt happy, unimaginably happy, hearing her words. "Well," He began, stopping and picking a rose from the garden, setting it gently in her hair. "I don't have to have you home until Midnight, Princess."

She chuckled in disbelief. "You've got _**more**_ planned?! Sasuke, this is _**more**_ than enough."

"Not for my Princess, it's not." He answered, smirking when he saw the next part of their plans coming up.

Kirei also saw it as well, smiling and sighing.

Without her knowing, Sasuke had managed to lead her to a familiar sight at the school; the Rose Gazebo, a white gazebo that was located on the outskirts of the rose garden, usually used for weddings. It was decorated now, the same red roses on the carriage displayed here, those same lights giving off the mystic glow.

Oddly enough, right outside the steps of the gazebo was a small orchestra, their instruments out, probably preparing for a wedding that could be taking place the next day.

Kirei wasn't sure about that, smiling as he led her up to it. "You paid them to be here, didn't you?" She asked with a smile.

He faced her, holding his hand out as he did once before. "Dance with me." He commanded in an asking tone, eyes never wavering from hers.

She sighed, noticing how he disregarded her question, but smiled nonetheless, taking his hand. "Of course."

Sasuke's smirk turned into a smile as he led her up the few stairs, his heart racing the entire time. He'd only learned to waltz the day before Prom.

Kirei saw his nervousness, taking his right and in her left, setting his left hand on her waist, her right hand on his shoulder. She sighed, letting her eyes slip shut, he leading the waltz. This was much better than her dream.

This was _**heaven**_.

* * *

After only a minute of dancing, or so it seemed to Kirei, she began to recognize the music being played by the supposed paid orchestra.

Setting her head on Sasuke's chest, she began to softly sing along with it, the words memorized in her thoughts.

_"What if I told you_

_It was all meant to be?_

_Would you believe me,_

_Would you agree?_

_It's almost that feeling_

_That we've met before_

_So tell me that you don't think I'm crazy_

_When I tell you love has come here and now..._

_A moment like this_

_Some people wait a lifetime,_

_For a moment like this_

_Some people search forever,_

_For that one special kiss_

_Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me_

_Some people wait a lifetime,_

_For a moment like this…"_

Sighing, Sasuke was happy. Everything was going so according to plan, he couldn't even believe it. The orchestra was playing perfectly; perfectly enough so that Kirei could sing along.  
That was his goal, other than dancing with her. Ever since that day, when she sang in her studio, her voice had become his addiction. He loved to hear her sing, whether it was soft and calm or strong and commanding.

So he stayed silent, letting her sing like every Princess did.

_"Everything changes_

_But beauty remains_

_Something so tender_

_I can't explain_

_Well I maybe dreaming_

_But 'till I awake_

_Can we make this dream last forever?_

_And I'll cherish all the love we share…_

_For a moment like this_

_Some people wait a lifetime,_

_For a moment like this_

_Some people search forever,_

_For that one special kiss_

_Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me_

_Some people wait a lifetime,_

_For a moment like this…_

_Could this be the greatest love of all?_

_I wanna know that you will catch me when I fall_

_So let me tell you this..._

_Some people wait a lifetime…"_

Kirei began to think that Sasuke had this whole dance, this whole song planned out.

She had begun to sing a bit more powerful, almost slipping into a trance of her voice, his heartbeat, the music playing and motion they had taken while dancing.

She was pulled from her trance quickly when Sasuke did the most unexpected thing; dipping her and almost letting her "fall", as per the song. He did it just during that lyric, too.

Cliché or not, Kirei loved it.

_"For a moment like this_

_Some people wait a lifetime,_

_For a moment like this_

_Some people search forever,_

_For that one special kiss_

_Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me_

_Some people wait a lifetime,_

_For a moment like this…_

_Ohh, ohh, like this…_

_Ohhhh, I can't believe it's happening to me_

_Some people wait a lifetime,_

_For a moment like this._

_Ohhhhh, like this…"_

Her voice faded softly, the song ending with her last words. She sighed peacefully, her head finding it's resting place on his chest.

Still holding her, gently moving with the music, he had his eyes closed. Just like her, he was at peace.

"I don't want to leave." She whispered, her eyes shut as well.

"Would you be willing if I went with you, Princess?" He asked softly, loving how she used him for a pillow.

She smiled. "Depends."

He knew that was a yes.

"Where are we going to go?" She asked, as if there wasn't any place he could take her. She knew they could go anywhere they wanted, but she didn't want to leave this place.

This was her own fairytale, her own land, where she was free to dream and live out her dream. Leaving meant the dream would end.

Sasuke seemed to know this, answering her in a soft manner. "Just because we leave doesn't mean you have to stop being a princess, Princess Kirei." It may have been a 4 yr olds dream, but it was important to Kirei and whatever was important to Kirei was important to Sasuke.

She sighed. "Can we go to the park?"

"Whatever you wish, Princess." He answered, watching as she separated from him, smiling.

"Can you stop calling me that?" Although she separated from him, she keep his hand in hers, letting him lead her again.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Princess, I _**must**_ call you that."

She giggled, happy with the answer. What girl minded being called Princess? "Okay, Sasuke."

They went back through the Rose Garden, avoiding all other couples from the school as they exited, finding the white carriage waiting for them.

"And I'm not sure if I've said this yet," She began, gathering up her dress as she stepped up into the carriage. "But, thank you."

He shook his head again. "No need to thank me, Princess."

Just as Kirei thought she'd cleared the last step, the edge of her foot caught, sending her falling to the floor if her free hand hadn't caught the edge of the carriage. Brushing it off with a laugh, she felt just a bit embarrassed, finding her spot on the seat. "I guess even _**Princesses**_ fall every once in a while, huh?"

He chuckled, shaking his head, stepping up and sitting beside her. "I guess so." This time, he was a little surprised to find Kirei setting her head on his shoulder. He knew he shouldn't've been surprised, seeing as how she'd done it all night.

To make it easier for her and to bring her closer, he moved his arm, snaking it around her waist to secure her there. He wasn't surprised to also find her hands lacing and playing with his free hand.

"So, where are we off to?" The older gentleman who directed the horses asked, stealing a glance at the couple behind him. He had to admit, they were cute together.

"The park, please." The blonde replied, snuggling up to the raven.

He nodded, turning back to the horses. "Yes, Princess."

Hearing him, Kirei looked up at Sasuke, smirking.

What could she expect? This was _**Sasuke**_, she was thinking about. He wouldn't do something half-assed. It was always go big or don't go at all.

Nevertheless, Kirei didn't mind.

* * *

Arriving at the park, Sasuke decided he'd be the first one out of the carriage, afraid Kirei would trip again and with nothing to break her fall this time. He'd _**die**_ before that happened.

So, holding both her hands because there was no rail, he helped her down, letting the carriage stroll off around the park while they walked.

"Do you know where you want to go, Princess?" He asked, seeing how she walked, how mild mannered she was. If he hadn't known her, he would've thought she was a real Princess.

She nodded, smiling. "Yes I do." Giggling, she looked around them, finding nothing but the eerie glow of the moonlight off of dew and a few lightning bugs lighting their way. "We're going to the swings." She informed, entwining their fingers again.

He thought it was a bit strange, but agreed. If it made her happy, so be it. "Yes, Princess."

"You can seriously stop calling me that, Sasuke." Even though she said such, she loved it.

He knew this, smiling. "No, Princess." Having her almost literally attached to him, Sasuke could've sworn he felt her shiver, but wasn't all that sure. It wasn't too cold out, Konoha a warm place a night, but she was in a dress, after all.

When he felt her shiver for sure, he stopped the both of them, gently pulling his hand from hers.

"What're you – " She asked softly, wondering why they had stopped. She got her answer when he slipped off his black jacket, setting it overtop her shoulders and yet pulling her hair out, putting it softly onto her shoulders and fingering it at the same time. After all, he did love how it felt in his hands.

"You were cold." He stated, lacing their fingers and continuing along the path.

She sighed, loving how warm and how oversized his jacket was. Hell, it even smelled as good as him.

If this was a dream, Kirei sure as hell didn't want to wake up.

* * *

Sighing as she sat on the swing, her dress bunched a bit, Kirei gently pushed herself back and forth, head resting on the chain of the swing, eyes closed, remembering a time when her brother would push her.

Sitting in the swing next to her, Sasuke couldn't tear his eyes away from her. He couldn't the whole night, but now more than before.

It was a combination of a few things; The moon shining it's light on everything in the park, illuminating the glitter in her hair, the glow of her skin and when open, the shine of her deep blue eyes.

The fireflies who provided short bursts of light, soft enough to not hurt the eyes, yet visible enough to light the area around them.

And Kirei. Just _**being**_ there was enough for him, as always, but having her in a gown, her hair and make up done? It was just enough to drive him crazy.

"It's like paradise out here." Kirei mumbled softly, not wanting to break the silence, yet wanting to say something.

At the lack of response, she sat up, looking over at the raven. He usually replied in some way. She smiled and blushed a bit, finding his gaze on her.

"What?" She asked, unable to break her eyes away from his onyx eyes, her smile staying small. As if by an unseen force, she felt herself being drawn to the raven, moving closer and closer to him. "Stop it." She said breathlessly, no force behind the words.

Whatever it was, it was drawing him in close to her, both their eyes never losing contact. They were so close, Kirei could feel his breath on her lips, her eyes slipping shut, heart racing.

"Stop _**what**_?" Sasuke mumbled, his eyes also closing, heart racing as he closed the gap between their lips, kissing her.

Within seconds, alarms began going off in both their minds, making them pull away from each other, blushing like mad and unable to look at the other.

It took him a minute, but Sasuke remembered a crucial detail about the blonde beside him.

She didn't like to be kissed on her lips.

He sighed, regretting the kiss and everything with it. "Ki – Princess," He corrected himself, heart still racing. "I'm – I'm sorry, I shouldn't've – "

"It's okay." She cut him off, looking away. Her heart was beating twice as fast as his, her mind wondering why. Not why he kissed her, but why she didn't mind it…more of, why she _**liked**_ it. She still avoided his sight, keeping her head turned away from him. "I didn't mind it." She mumbled softly.

He stared at her, this time in surprise. 'Did she just…' Sasuke's mind brought up a blank, trying to process what she'd just said. Only when an alarm on his phone started vibrating did his mind start working again. Pulling it from his pocket, he shut it off, setting it back and getting up. "Well, Princess…" He addressed, trying to calm himself down. "I should be getting you home, it's close to Midnight."

She managed to bring her blush down, avoiding the eyes of the Uchiha. Going back, that's what started the kiss. His eyes pulling her in. "Okay." She stood up, walking with him again, almost hesitant to lace their hands together again. She wanted to, as always…but would he be okay with it?

Instead of her doing it, he did, sensing her hesitation, pulling her close. Kiss or not, she was still in his care, still his friend. "Princess, what do you say we keep this between us?"

"Yes please." She answered immediately, earning a chuckle.

He sighed, happy and content. "It is paradise, isn't it?"

* * *

Reaching the carriage at the outskirts of the park, Sasuke opened the door, entering before Kirei to help her up. He wouldn't want her to get hurt.  
Unlike before, she kept her eyes away form his, not wanting to be drawn in again. At least, her mind didn't. Her heart did. She wanted to be drawn in, to be closer to him, loving how warm he kept her and how safe she felt with him. She wondered if he wanted to be close too, but kept on the safe side, putting an inch or two between them as they sat.

He never let her hand go, bringing her to sit beside him as always. He hesitated on pulling her close, knowing that Kirei was probably upset and a little flustered. She didn't like to be kissed, this he knew…but did she mean what she said? Or had she said that to make _**him**_ feel better? He sighed. There were more questions than answers.

The driver sensed the couple's tension, wondering what had happened between the two. "Back to the Palace?" He asked, referring to Kirei's loft, glancing at the two.

Kirei nodded, her voice hushed. "Yes, please."

He nodded. "Of course, Princess."

Feeling the jolt of the carriage moving, Kirei watched the scenery go by slowly, trying to keep sane in the silence. It wasn't true silence, hearing the horses hooves and the clickity-clack of the wheels moving along, but it sure felt like it. There was silence every time before they were in the carriage, although every time before she had been right with Sasuke, hearing his heartbeat that kept her in her dream-like state. As of the moment, she wasn't with him and it was driving her nuts. "Sasuke?"

"Yes, Princess?" He asked, wondering what was on her mind, yet knowing. Looking over, he found very worried blue eyes looking back at him.

She sighed, biting her lip, looking away. "…is this going to affect us?" She asked, her voiced very hushed.

Sasuke was careful with his words, not wanting to further upset her; or worse, make her cry. "Do you want it to?"

She shook her head, childlike. "Mm-mm. I don't wanna lose my best friend because of an…" She looked for a word to describe it. She couldn't call it an accident or a mistake…maybe a…force of nature?

Having a hold of her hand, Sasuke pulled her closer to him like she had been before. "Forget about it, Princess." He sighed, keeping his grip loose. He didn't want to force her to sit with him if she didn't want to. "What matters most right now is that you're happy."

Tense as she was, she relaxed, hearing his heartbeat again. "But – "

He shook his head. "I won't let it affect our friendship, it was a mishap. Something that happened because of underlying forces. It's hard to say that, yes, but," He sighed. "we're both smart people who can still be friends, okay?"

"Uh-huh." She nodded, moving closer. Hearing this, she felt better. He felt the same way she did, not regretting it, but realizing it was a mistake. "I just wanna sit with my best buddy right now."

Sasuke couldn't help but smile, hearing her playfulness. "Yes, Princess."

It fell to silence, sweet silence. Kirei got her wish, hearing Sasuke's relatively slow heartbeat, not lulling her to sleep, yet keeping her in a dream state. Sasuke got his wish, holding his best friend and succeeding in giving her the best night of her life.

"Sasuke?" Kirei asked softly, eyes closed.

"Princess?" He asked back, playing with her hair.

"You're my best friend."

Almost leaning in to kiss the top of her head, Sasuke caught himself and stopped. "So are you, Princess."

* * *

Their relationship the same as before the kiss, Sasuke headed down the steps first, keeping Kirei's hands in his, helping her down. It was a good thing he did, seeing as how she stumbled slightly, but regained her balanced thanks to his hands holding her steady.

Walking up with her to her door, they watched the carriage depart, waving.

"Thank you!" Kirei shouted happily, waving.

The man waved back, happy the couple was able to work through their problems.

In his pocket, Sasuke's phone began vibrating again, signaling that it was Midnight. "Looks like I got you home just in time."

"Is it midnight _**already**_?" She asked, turning to him and smiling. "It doesn't feel like it at all."

He agreed, nodding. "It doesn't, does it?"

Sighing, Kirei looked up at her loft, finding all the lights off. She already knew she was going to be alone for the rest of the night, but the realization just hit her, making her a bit sad.

Sasuke followed her line of sight at her sight, seeing all the windows dark. Looking back at her, he arched an eyebrow. "Are you gonna be home alone?"

She nodded. "Yeah…Naruto's away on a mission, remember? That's why he wouldn't let me go to Prom by myself in the first place." She explained. She thought Sasuke knew that. Watching his reaction, she thought wrong.

"I'm staying here tonight." He answered quickly, as well as sternly. Unlike anything else, she _**wasn't**_ going to argue with him.

She really didn't want to argue. "Not that I'm arguing, but what's the big deal?" She tilted her head. Naruto was protective of her, for sure. Was Sasuke getting that way too?

He shook his head, meaning he didn't want to explain. "Don't worry about it. I'll stay out here for a few minutes so you can get changed…"

Smiling, she found it better not to try to drag it out of him. "Kinda like a, "Walk up to the door, kiss goodnight", without the kiss?" Every girl knew the scenario; where her date would walk her up to the door and kiss her goodnight.

Strange as it was, he semi-nodded. "If you want to see it that way, Princess."

She smiled at him, watching as he walked to the steps of her porch, sitting on them, looking to nothing specific. Leaning on her door before going inside, she sighed, realizing she still had his jacket and looked back at him.

He sighed, looking at the fireflies light up, eyes set a little low, just in a state of peace. He'd never felt so peaceful in all his life, never thinking he could be _**this**_ happy. It was all because of her, because of Kirei.

Smiling, Kirei walked over to him, pulling the jacket off and setting it on his broad shoulders, slipping her hands on them as well, leaning down to whisper in his ear. "Thank you for being my Prince Charming tonight." With a small kiss on his cheek, she smiled and hurriedly went back inside. Hitting the door after it shut, Kirei couldn't help but squeal and giggle. She'd never been this happy before.

Stunned, Sasuke sat there. Did she just _**kiss**_ him?

Yes, in fact, she did.

As his heart started to race from excitement, he took a deep breath, reminding himself it didn't mean anything; not like the kiss before. It was a thank you kiss and _**nothing**_ more.

If it was just a thank you kiss…why did he want it to mean more?

* * *

"So what movie are we watching?" Kirei asked, meeting Sasuke in her living room.

The dress from before was gone, replaced by Kirei's makeshift pjs, her two tank tops and her "Holey Jeans" as dubbed by Sasuke.

She was famous for wearing them when she worked in her studio. They were ripped and mangled, two very large holes at her knees, allowing her to move freely. She loved wearing them and took every chance she had to wear them.

Sasuke loved seeing her in them. "Oh, you'll see." He replied as she sat next to him, a bowl of popcorn set in her lap. He had also changed, having a few sets of clothes stored at her loft just in case he ended up staying the night.

"I swear, if it's scary – " She warned, always hating scary movies. They kept her up half the night from nightmares, the other half too scared too sleep.

"It's not." He assured, reaching into the bowl. He wasn't one for popcorn usually, but he would because she had made it for them.

With one remote, she was able to turn off the lights, turn on the surround sound and DVD player, along with starting the movie. With him beside her, she watched the previews, finding them all rather scary…

Her eyes widened when she saw the title of the movie.

"Prom Night."

She knew the movie, seeing previews for it on Tv. She also knew that it freaked her out to no extent. "_**No**_, nut-uh," She said, moving the bowl from her lap and getting up to leave the room. He could watch it by himself for all she cared. As long as she didn't watch it, she was happy.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, Sasuke smiled, pulling her right back , more on top of him than on the couch. He kept his arm around her waist, securing her there. "I'm right here with you if you get scared."

She thought about it, staying there, bringing her knees and feet up to the couch. She always did feel safe with him…and he was spending the night…she sighed. "I guess one movie will be okay. But if I get scared and I can't sleep, it's _**all**_ your fault."

"I can deal with that." As long as she watched the movie and he got to hold her, he was happy.

Even though she agreed to it, Kirei felt a sinking feeling in her heart.

* * *

Kirei jumped as the movie ended, thunder crashing outside.

Sasuke took the liberty of shutting it off, finding it somewhat predictable. It was a good movie, but a little bland. He wondered what Kirei thought of it.

Her head currently buried into his shoulder, Kirei's mind was all happy thoughts. She wanted to keep her mind off the movie, off the scariest thing she'd seen. She wasn't scared because of the movie, per say, but to the extent that it could happen to a girl like her.

He chuckled at her fear, finding this side of her rather cute. Turning on the light, Sasuke tried to get up, having her get up with him since she wasn't about to let him go. "Come on, silly." He said, leading her along to the kitchen to put the bowl away and throw out the kernels of popcorn.

She followed him closely, flinching at every sound of thunder and flash of lightning. She didn't mind listening and watching thunderstorms, but being as jumpy as she was, a thunderstorm wasn't the greatest thing.

He sensed this, keeping her close and yet wondering what would happen if he took a chance to scare her. If he did, he might get a kick out of it, but frighten her. On the other hand, she'd still be frightened because of the movie.

Either way, she would be scared. So, if the end remained the same…he could travel any road he wanted to get there.

Kirei shrieked when lightning flashed, sending her loft into complete darkness. Her heart beginning to race, it went through the roof when her grip on Sasuke suddenly disappeared. Mind and heart racing, Kirei tried to look around her kitchen, failing because she was horrified, standing stark still. She couldn't even speak.

Just as she was about to move forward in an effort to bump into the raven, remembering that Sasuke was somewhere in front her, something suddenly landed on her shoulders, shaking her slightly.

Screaming at the sudden grab, Kirei jumped forward, latching onto the person who had just scared her to death and back. "_**You're**__**okay!!**_" She exclaimed into Sasuke's chest, holding onto his shirt tightly, lights flickering back on.

This was a bit of a shock. He wasn't expecting a reaction like this from her, taking his hands of her shoulders, one finding it's way to her back, the other upon her head. "Of course I'm okay." Sasuke began to think that he didn't just scare her, but _**terrified**_ her.

She hiccupped, her grip not loosening. "I thought somebody took you away from me!!"

_'Asshole.'_ A voice echoed inside Sasuke's mind. What a _**jerk**_ he'd been! Telling her that he'd always be there for her when she needed it and then suddenly disappearing on her? He sighed, petting her hair, trying to calm her down. "I'm sorry, Princess." He said softly. "I didn't mean to scare you like _**that**_, okay?"

She nodded, but didn't let him go. She didn't want to. Letting him go meant that someone could take him away and that was the _**last**_ thing she wanted.

"Hey," He began softly, pulling away from her again, both hands slipping onto her shoulders, kneeling in front of her.

Just like before, Kirei wouldn't let him go.

Looking at the blonde, Sasuke realized an apology wouldn't calm her down. "Can I ask you to let me go for a second?"

She shook her head.

He sighed. "Okay then." Taking his hands off her shoulders, he reached into his shirt, pulling his necklace over his head. It was a little small on him, but it should fit Kirei perfectly.

It was strange to know the Uchiha wore a necklace, though he had great reason to wear it. The small necklace with an Uchiha Fan charm on it had once been his mother's and ever since her death, he wore it around his neck to remind him of what he wanted to forget.

Right now, she needed it more than he did.

He unhooked the clasp, putting it around her small neck and clasping it, avoiding stray hairs. "This is for you." He said, seeing her look at the small charm on it, hesitating on taking one hand from his shirt to grab it. "Whenever I'm not with you, you can look at this and – "

"It'll remind me of you." She finished, her voice soft. "I like it."

He chuckled, standing up. "This way, I can be with you at all times."

"I like _**that**_ idea." She said, eyes drying, heart calming down. Finally letting go of him, she grabbed his hand with both of hers, pulling him out of the kitchen.

He let her, wondering where they were going. Kirei always did have a weird way of doing things. She usually never asked, just doing something without words. "Where are we going?" He finally decided to ask as she pulled him upstairs.

She remained silent, reaching the top of the stairs and going to her right.

Her silence meant that she didn't want him to argue or refuse, the reason she didn't say anything. He sighed.

"Bedtime." She finally said, reaching the door to her room. Not wanting him to go anywhere, she figured it was worth the risk to keep him in her room.

He chuckled. "Okay, Kirei."

Opening the door, Kirei frowned at it, mumbling, "That's strange…" She always locked the door to her room out of habit. She was always locking her door because of her father when she was a kid, so it became a habit. If it was unlocked, it meant someone had been in her room.

"What is?" Sasuke asked as she opened her door, turning on the lights.

Oddly enough, when he saw her room, he'd imagined it'd be something like this. It was the master bedroom, which looked small with all the knick-knacks, stuffed animals and other things lying around. Her queen-sized bed was in the middle of the room, a nightstand on the left, a lamp on it. On the right of her was a wall collage, filled with pictures of her as a kid with her brother that spanned to now.

On the walls to his left and right were dressers, long and tall, short and small. Each one of them had so much on them, you couldn't see the top of the dresser.

Unlike her studio, the walls were heavily painted, having some sort of design or picture on them.

All in all, it was Kirei.

"My door was unlocked." She said, finally letting him go. "I lock it out of habit."

Watching her sit on her bed, taking off her socks, Sasuke ruffled his brows. "You lock it?"

She nodded, throwing her socks somewhere in the room, not really caring where they went. She was tired and wanted to sleep. "Yeah. Ever since Daisuke made me lock his door when he was on missions and my dad was still around. He had a key to get in, so he'd unlock it and come to bed."

Hearing this, the first thing Sasuke thought of was the same Kirei had; someone had broken in. Seeing as how the Akatsuki were around, especially going after her, Sasuke couldn't help but think it was them. At least her was around her enough to keep her safe.

"But I'm not worried." Kirei continued, sighing. "Nothing's out of place…"

"Everything has a place?" He asked, looking at the mess of the room. "It's a mess in here."

She was quick to reply, smiling. "It's an organized mess, thank you. Artists are _**very**_ messy, you know."

He nodded, remembering once when Kirei had spilled a ton of paint. On _**him**_. "Yes, I know. Now, where's the air mattress?" Usually she had one out for him, but looking around, he couldn't find it.

"You really think I had time to get one out?"

Her answer brought a very, very strange feeling into the pit of his stomach. If he had to define it, it was a mix of nervousness, excitement and a little bit of worry. He gulped. "Well, _**no**_, but – "

Looking at him, she sighed. "Sasuke, I think we're _**more**_ than old enough to sleep in the same bed for one night. It's not like we're 13 or something." She was right, but it was easier for her than for him. "It's not gonna kill you, Sasuke."

Sasuke wanted to reply, "It just might." but he didn't, staying silent. She had slept with someone for nearly half her life, she was used to it. On the other hand, he was used to sleeping alone and wasn't sure what he'd do. He always used to be a cuddler and by the off chance she found out, he'd _**die**_.

He sighed. It was just _**one**_ night. He could do one night. He could try, at least. "Okay then."

Kirei smiled, climbing into her bed, pulling her covers up to her shoulders as always. "G'night, emo kid."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her, full knowing she was awake. "I'm not emo anymore." Slowly, hesitantly, he climbed into the bed, opposite the side of Kirei. He found that once again, she was right. The bed was more than big enough for both of them. It smelled like her too, making Sasuke smirk.

"Sure…" She mumbled, reaching over and shutting off the light. "Night."

"Night, Princess."

Kirei sighed, shaking her head slightly. He just wasn't gonna give that up, was he?

Hearing her sigh, Sasuke smiled. The night was a little chaotic, but all in all, a good end. Sasuke could live with it.


	10. Graduation

* * *

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD

_Notes/Warnings: _None this chapter. As a note, yes this story has an OC. Yes, it has Yaoi. Yes, the OC is related to someone on the show.

_**DEAL**_.

If you don't like it, don't read or review. Just hit the button that says, "Back" Or the little backspace key on your keyboard.

So, if anyone was wondering, School is okay. It IS school, after all. I decided to update (because I feel it's been a little too long) and cause you've all been patient. There isn't much to say, I'm trying to keep up with writing as much as I can while still passing school and keeping my life. XD Don't forget, if you have any questions, please, ask. I'll reply as soon as I can

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!

* * *

_Chapter 10 – Graduation_

* * *

"Wow, this is really nice." Hinata murmured, looking around their seats.

"Yeah, much better than _**our**_ graduation." Kiba added, sitting next to her at the end of their row, Akamaru lying beside him.

Currently, they were seated outside Konoha High School, attending Kirei's graduation. There were others with them, Shikamaru dragged out of bed by Ino, sitting right beside Hinata and Kiba, while Neji and Raiha were behind them.

Naruto and Sakura _**would've**_ been there, had they not been called on an urgent mission.

None of them failed to notice that the raven, Sasuke, was there as well, hidden amongst the trees instead of sitting with them. He would've sat with them, but he didn't want to have to deal with how they picked on him about liking Kirei.

Over the course of the 2 weeks between Prom and Graduation, people began to think he and Kirei were dating. They weren't in the least; they'd rather be friends than a couple.

Even the Yondaime had begun to suspect something between the two, since Sasuke became much more protective of her than the Yondaime had ever seen. For this, he was thankful. Sasuke had reported all the things she'd told him, the things he'd seen and the fact that someone may be breaking into her house and even told the Yondaime he'd be around her more often.

Sitting in the next section, Kirei was easily able to point out all her friends. It wasn't that hard, seeing as how there was a giant dog beside them. The only one she couldn't see was Sasuke, but knew he was there. She wasn't sure _**how**_; maybe the necklace she wore, but she knew. She sighed. "This is gonna take forever…" She mumbled, watching as people in her class were called up by last name.

It was the only time in her life where she thought being a Namikaze sucked.

* * *

"I wonder when she'll come running up." Kiba said, happy to be out of those chairs

Hinata nodded. "She seemed excited." She was happy too, seeing as how sitting on the chairs were like sitting on iron.

"I'd be too, if I finally got done with my schooling!" Ino added, stretching as she pulled Shikamaru along.

He yawned, wanting to go back to sleep. "That's why I became a Ninja. The schooling was shorter."

Hinata sighed happily, shaking her head.

Raiha nodded, understanding. She'd just gotten out of college. "Yeah, I sometimes regret not being a ninja, like you guys. The schooling's much shorter."

Neji shook his head, right beside her. "No, you don't."

Sitting there, Akamaru's ears perked up and he barked, looking off near the seats, his tail wagging, recognizing that scent. Kirei was coming.

They turned to where Akamaru had sniffed her out, seeing her walking up, cap, gown and diploma in hand. Everyone noticed that she didn't seem like her usual self.

"Hey sweetie," Hinata said as she walked up. "What's wrong?" She tried to give Kirei a hug, but she pulled away from Hinata.

She shook her head, gripping the gown in her hand. She wanted to go home and stay there.

Everyone shot worried glances to each other, wondering what happened to the blonde.

"Kirei, what happened?" Kiba asked, reaching out his hand to tousle her hair like Naruto and Sasuke did, but she stepped back.

She shook her head again. "Mm-mm."

Looking to the other members of the small group, Neji sighed. "I think we need – "

"Kirei, what's going on?" Sasuke asked as he walked up, seeing the glances the others had from his forest seat. This was enough to pull him from there and take any picking they had ready for him.

Unlike how she'd taken steps backward and away from everyone else, she walked right up to the Uchiha, gripping his shirt and burying her face in his chest.

No one was relatively shocked; the two were always connected somehow. Kirei was always holding his hand or jumping on him, so a hug wasn't out of the ordinary.

"Do you wanna go home?" He asked softly, taking her cap, gown and diploma from her so it would be easier for her to hold onto him.

She nodded, glad Sasuke was there to take care of her. A necklace wouldn't be able to cover _**this**_. She was glad she had her friends there, but she wanted him.

He sighed, looking at everyone else and scowling at them.

They all – even Kiba – had goofy grins on their faces.

"I hate you all." He growled, glaring at all of them, hands around Kirei. He knew they thought Kirei and himself liked each other, but as long as she was happy being friends, so was he.

"We know." Ino sighed, shaking her head and smiling.

"Get her home safe, okay?" Hinata asked, knowing Sasuke hated it when they picked on him. He hated it more when they picked on _**her**_ about it.

He nodded, his anger dissipating,. "Don't worry about her."

She smiled, seeing the two vanish. It was a little strange seeing Sasuke now, knowing that only a few months ago, he couldn't've cared less what happened to anyone. He was their friend and would help them if they _**drastically**_ needed it, but other than that he was quiet and reserved, favoring to stay away from everyone. Seeing him now, he hadn't changed too much. He was still quiet and reserved, at least when Kirei or Naruto weren't around.

If Kirei was around, he wouldn't scowl at all and on rare occasions, smile at someone other than her. He was always talkative around her, going so much to talk to Hinata or Sakura and get the girls started on a subject just so he could see her laugh and smile.

If Naruto was around, he would seldom scowl and never smile. He would talk much less, offering a word here or there.

If neither was around, you'd be surprised to even _**see**_ Sasuke.

"Hinata," Ino said, poking the blue-haired in the forehead. "Konoha to Hinata, are you there?"

Chuckling, Hinata nodded, swatting Ino's hand away. "Yes, I'm here."

"Good," Raiha added.

"Cause we want in." Neji finished for her, smiling at his cousin.

Hinata ruffled her brows, faking her confusion, she wondered if they were talking about her plotting. "In on _**what**_?" She asked innocently.

Kiba sighed. "Oh come on, Hinata. We could smell your scheming during Christmas."

She smiled, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. "Oh…well…about that…"

Ino raised an eyebrow. "What, it's not like you're _**not**_ trying to get them together! You've tried, at least…_**haven't**_ you?"

Everyone had thought Hinata was getting them together ever since Christmas.

She shook her head. "Well, Sakura and I tried during Christmas. Sasuke found out and ever since then, we haven't schemed at all."

Other than a slight snore from Shikamaru, the group was quiet.

"…You mean to say that this is happening all on it's own?" Raiha asked, a bit surprised. She'd seen the changes in the raven, but thought it was all Hinata's doing.

"Yeah."

"Jeez." Kiba began, shaking his head. "You'd think we would've noticed."

* * *

Sasuke had never in his life seen Kirei like this.

Entering the loft, she let him go, throwing her shoes in the corner of the room. Then, she started heading upstairs, sighing as she tried to stop her crying, drying her eyes.

Sasuke followed, setting her stuff on the couch. "Kirei, do you wanna – "

"_**No**_, I don't." She cut him off, turning around to face him.

His heart sank when she saw her, gaze softening.

She wasn't look at him, more of looking at the floor, her usually happy eyes drained of everything; color and emotion. "Thanks for bringing me home, but…I kinda want to be alone right now." She turned once more, heading up the stairs to her room.

He heard about this look from Naruto. It could only mean _**one**_ thing. Following just a few more steps, he asked quietly, "Who died, Kirei?"

At the top of the steps, Kirei stopped, setting her hand on the railing and sighing. "Misaki." She slid her hand on the railing as she went into her room, her door shutting quietly.

Sasuke had met the girl once or twice, finding out that she and Kirei were good friends. She was one of the only people in the whole school Kirei didn't hate. Traveling up the stairs and going to her door, he listened in.

His ear so close, he jumped when Kirei pounded on the door, crying out in frustration. He even heard her scream, making him wondering just _**how**_ violent she'd get. Hand hovering close to the doorknob, afraid of the things she might do, he contemplated on opening it and going inside to help.

"No." He shook his head, pulling his hand away. He had to trust her, knowing that she wouldn't do anything to herself and that maybe in a little while she'd come out and want to talk.

With a sigh, he turned and went back downstairs, heading for her couch. If she needed him, he'd be there for her.

Just as he plopped onto the couch, the phone in his pocket rang, it's ringer signaling a text message. Pulling it out, he found it was from Hinata.

_"How's she doing?"_

He smiled, reading it. At least she wasn't scheming anymore. "Good as she can with what happened. Her friend died today." He wrote back.

The reply was immediate. _"Send our love, Sasuke. You're the only one who can right now."_

He shook his head, turning on the Tv, keeping the volume low. "I will."

There was no reply from Hinata, so Sasuke shut his phone, leaving it out on the table beside him. Lying back on the couch, flipping through channels, Sasuke figured that if she wasn't coming out for a while he could afford to take a nap.

He wasn't sure why, but for the longest time, he'd get the best sleep at her loft and never at home. He'd get sleep at home, but it was always frequented with nightmares and him waking up. "Maybe because something bad didn't happen here…" He mumbled, pulling a pillow behind his head. Or maybe it was because there was company, even though she was in a different room.

Either way, he got sleep.

* * *

Opening her door quietly, Kirei walked out of her room, hungry as hell. She would've stayed in her room, but if she did, her stomach would kill her. Having changed her clothes to her boxers and t-shirt, she wondered why the tv and lights were on downstairs, seeing the lights as she traveled downstairs.

It was close to 1 in the morning…so, who was here?

Keeping quiet as she came to the landing, her eyes landed on the raven sleeping on her couch. Smiling, she went over to him, shutting off the tv and turning to look at him.

How sweet was it that he stayed here, in her loft, even though she wanted to be alone? Yes, he did fall asleep and was probably asleep most of the day, but that was okay. He was still there, wasn't he?

Doing what she knew she was going to regret, she brushed away the bangs that covered his face, kissing him on the forehead. "Thank you." She whispered softly, taking one last glance before heading into the kitchen before her stomach growled and woke him up.

"You're welcome."

Hearing his voice, Kirei stopped dead, her cheeks becoming very hot. "O-oh…you're _**up**_…" She whispered, turning around to face the Uchiha, smiling as she tried to force down her blush.

"Yes, I am." He answered, also smiling as he sighed, getting up from the couch. "Feeling better, I see."

"Well, actually – " Before she got to answer him, her stomach let out the loudest growl she'd ever heard.

Sighing and shaking his head, he could very well believe she was hungry. He should've known _**that's**_ what would drive her from her room. "You know, you are the strangest person I think I've ever met."

"Good." She replied, smiling. "Now, I'm gonna get something to eat before I pass out or starve." Knowing he'd follow, she headed into the kitchen, preparing one of her favorite meals; Ramen.

Just like she thought, the raven did follow her, finding a seat at her table. "Hinata and them send their love, just so you know."

She nodded. "Thanks…" After getting the water on, she turned to face him, rubbing the back of her neck. "I know it was kinda rude to just leave them there…"

He shook his head. "No, they understand. We have to deal with deaths a lot in our line of work…so…"

"What about you?" She asked, looking at the raven. "You're not mad for me just – "

"_**Kirei**_." He began, looking dead into blue eyes, wondering if they were serious. "I could never be mad at you. _**Ever**_."

She felt stupid for asking, turning back to her ramen. "Okay." Yet, she felt relieved. She could handle everyone else being mad at her for skipping out, but if Sasuke was mad at her, she wasn't sure what she'd do. He'd become so much a part of her life, it was hard to imagine living without him.

"Why did you think I was?" He asked, watching as she moved the piping hot bowl of ramen to the table, sitting across from him.

She shrugged her shoulders, tearing apart her chopsticks. "I don't know, I just was. I don't like it when people are mad at me. It makes me feel bad." She slurped up some noodles, looking at the raven to find his eyes on her.

"You eat just like Naruto does." He pointed out, eyes not wavering.

"I _**am**_ his cousin," She replied, pointing her chopsticks at him. "And stop it."

"Stop _**what**_?" He teased, foot bumping hers.

Chuckling as she swallowed, she remembered a crucial detail about that line. "Last time you said that to me, you ended up kissing me." She would've looked away, but kept her eyes on him, wanting to see his reaction as she smiled.

He remembered just as she did, but didn't flinch at the line. Instead, he smirked. "We could go for round two."

"Don't push your luck, emo." She finally looked away, losing the duel between the eyes. "Just because I didn't mind the first one doesn't mean I'll like the second one. Plus, we're not dating." Kirei couldn't help but sound a little defensive. She didn't liked to be kissed and that was that. She slurped more noodles into her mouth, letting Sasuke get a word in edgewise. It wasn't fun to argue if she said everything.

He knew this and still smirked. "It's not luck, it's _**skill**_."

She nodded. "Uh-huh." Mouth full, she didn't want to speak too much. After gulping, she continued. "And that's why you currently have a girlfriend."

He ruffled his brows. "I don't."

She smiled, looking at him with devious eyes. "My point exactly."

Wrinkling his nose and looking away, Sasuke had to admit that she won that argument. Or at least, he _**let**_ her win it. He could win all the play arguments between them, but it wasn't fair if he did.

With a sigh, Kirei got up, finishing her bowl of ramen as she set it in the sink, rinsing it out. "If you want to head home or something," She began, turning back toward him again. "That's fine. I'm gonna stay up for a little bit."

"What are you gonna do?" He asked. If she was painting or something, he was staying.

She sighed, knowing that her answer would make the Uchiha stay. Not that she minded. "Paint."

The raven got up from his seat, pushing in his chair and walking over to Kirei, taking her hand, pulling her all the way to her studio. He sat her on her stool, putting a paintbrush in her hand.

She shook her head, smiling. "You really love to watch me paint, don't you?"

He nodded, sitting on the couch that he'd become fond of. "Yes, I do."

"Why don't _**you**_ try painting something?" She asked, starting to paint to appease herself and the Uchiha.

"Cause I suck at it."

"And I care, why?" She asked back, glancing at him. She knew she had a point.

He had a puzzled look on his face. It turned into a smirk as an idea began formulating in his mind. "So I can use your paint?"

She nodded, stretching out her legs. Kirei noticed that she had a nasty habit of doing that, stretching out her toes and legs, letting her right leg straighten out and set it's heel on the armrest of the couch so that it wouldn't be cooped up in it's bent position. "Yes, you can."

His smirk grew into a smile, getting her permission to use her paint. Now, she couldn't get mad at him. "Okay then." Instead of getting up and getting a canvas to paint on, Sasuke used the closest thing in reach. Since he was on the couch, the closest thing became Kirei's leg. Reaching over and dipping his fingers into different colors of paint, he looked at Kirei, finding her gaze on the canvas in front of her and set his first finger on her leg, painting.

Feeling the paint on her leg, a shiver running through her, Kirei jumped and looked over to the raven. She felt inclined to pull her leg away. "Sasuke, _**what**_ are you doing?" She asked as calm as she could, watching him cover up most of her calf.

"I'm painting and you're not allowed to see it until I'm done." He replied, trying to focus on his art, yet hide it from her.

She shook her head. "And you must paint on my leg?"

"Yes." He nodded, as if she didn't already know.

She sighed, letting it go. At least he was painting. "And you said _**I'm**_ weird."

"Hush. A masterpiece is in progress." Sasuke said in the most serious voice he could muster without chuckling.

Kirei tried not to laugh, stifling it as best she could.

Company was a great, great thing.

* * *

As always in Kirei's loft, Sasuke was the first one to wake, trying to remember just exactly where he was. He remembered being in her studio, painting on Kirei…

Oh yes, that's what happened.

As soon as he'd revealed his "masterpiece", a picture of two stick figures, one being him, the other her holding hands in friendship, Kirei began to paint on him, which resulted in him painting on her and vice versa.

Remembering this, he finally realized why his face felt a little crusty. He had dried paint on him. What else was on him?

A sleeping Kirei.

He smiled, seeing her fidget, remembering just how they'd ended up on the couch together.

Sometime that morning, Kirei was just about to run away from him as he sat on the couch, going to her supply closet for more paint to pelt him with. Of course, he wouldn't let that happen, getting up, wrapping both arms around her waist, pulling her onto the couch with him. Fingers on her waist, Kirei squealed loudly and happily.

"Stop it, stop it!!" She cried, laughing, trying to squirm away from him.

This made him smirk, not letting her go, instead, pulling her closer. "Oh, so you're ticklish?"

She gave him a look of death, moving away from him, holding her sides. "Don't even think about – " She squealed again, making him smile. What a cute sound.

After not tickling her anymore, he held her, not letting her go and making her go to sleep. He knew that she was tired, able to tell in her blue eyes and made her sleep, not wanting to move.

What he didn't know is that she _**didn't**_ want to move. Her heart was beating fast, lying there on top of him, but was able to get herself to sleep, thanks to his somewhat fast heartbeat and the fact that he ran his hand through her bangs continuously.

Now, awake and seeing her still asleep, Sasuke decided he'd go back to sleep, or at least, stay as quiet as he could without waking her up. It wasn't a bad thing that he wanted to watch her sleep, watching how her chest rose ever so slightly, how she curled up with him and most of all, how she smiled in her sleep, making him smile.

Or _**was**_ it?

* * *

"Ita-san!!" Kirei called, leaving her cousin's side to run up to the Akatsuki grounds, happy to see the raven.

With his 9 friends, collectively known as the "Akatsuki", Itachi recognized the voice smiling. "Here comes Sasuke's girlfriend." He smiled, getting up to meet her.

Running up, Kirei glomped him. "I haven't seen you in a while! How are you?"

He smiled, patting her back. "Good, good, stitching's all good. What are you doing up here?" H e asked, stepping away from the girl, knowing some curious eyes were on him.

She sighed as she smiled, she pulled out a basket. "I wanted to spend the day up here with you guys. I heard Danna and Sempai were here." She tried to find the redhead and blonde behind him, scaring away those curious eyes.

He nodded. "Yeah, they're here."

"I couldn't stop her Itachi. She wanted to come up here and Sasuke's on a mission." Naruto added with a smile, walking up behind his cousin.

Itachi smiled. "We'd be happy to have her for the day." He moved aside, letting Kirei see the two artists, who sat with the rest of the group.

When Kirei saw the two, she set down her basket, running over two the two. "_**Sempai**_! _**Danna**_!" She nearly ran them over, using her knees to slide on the grass, running right into Deidara.

"_**Cutie**_!!" He exclaimed, hugging her back as she glomped him.

Sasori smiled, reaching a hand over to tousle her hair.

"She seems well acquainted." Itachi mused, watching her, shaking his head.

Naruto nodded. "Just keep an eye on her, please." Hands in his pockets, voice low, Naruto explained. "It's just…there's been this…"

"Replica Akatsuki going around attack people, like in the show?" Itachi finished, eyebrow arched.

"Yeah… How'd you – "

"They've met with each one of us, asking if we wanted to join. We all refused." He answered, remembering the fakes. They were strong, but Itachi wasn't the evil being he was portrayed as. "Sasuke's been telling me they've been going after Kirei."

"We're not sure _**why**_, but yes, they are." Naruto answered, keeping at her side whenever her could. He and Sasuke had worked out a 'schedule" with the Yondaime. When Sasuke was on a mission, Naruto couldn't be and vice versa. In this plan, whoever was not on a mission was with Kirei at _**most**_ times. After all, they had lives to live. "So…if anything happens – "

"I'll keep her with me if something happens, okay?" Itachi watched as Kirei met with the other members, happy as could be.

"Thanks, Itachi." Naruto nodded, feeling better. Itachi was one of the best ninja in Konoha, so if she was safe with anyone, it was him. "I'm not sure if Sasuke or I will be here to pick her up later."

Shaking his head and picking up her basket, finding it was fully of assorted treats, some dango tied off with a tag that read, "Itachi" on it, he smiled. "It's alright. I'll bring her to the Mansion if you two don't show up."

Naruto was thankful Itachi was such a nice guy. "We'll see you, Itachi." Smiling as Kirei waved to him, he vanished, heading back to his grounds to start filming for the day. He could leave knowing Kirei was in safe hands.

Shaking his head as he went up to the group, he took the dango out of the basket so that no one else could take them.

"I see _**someone's**_ got their hands in the basket already." Kirei teased, looking up as she sat with Deidara and Sasori.

"You brought stuff for us?" Kakuzu asked, not all that interested in the girl. He could see why Deidara and Sasori liked her; she was an artist, like them.

She nodded. "Yep. I asked Sasuke what you guys like, hoping he'd know…" She sighed. "But he's too emo to know."

Hidan chuckled as Itachi sat next to her, Kisame on his other side, putting the basket out for the others to get their treat. "Fuck, you think that too? God damn, I like you already." Reaching into the basket, he found all the treats were separated, name tags on them. He noticed that his was red and strangely…blood-like looking. "Did you fucking write this in _**blood**_?"

She nodded, happy that he liked it.

"Fuck, you're _**good**_."

"Hidan! Watch your language!" The only female of the group yelled as she walked up, auburn haired boyfriend right behind her.

He only shrugged, ripping the bag open. "Piss off."

Pein set his hands on her shoulders, massaging them gently, trying to calm his feisty blue haired girlfriend. "It's okay, Konan. Let it go."

The rest of the group squabbled and bickered for their treat, as well as about everything under the sun.

Looking around, Kirei could've sworn someone was missing. She couldn't put her finger on who it was, but knew someone was. She pointed to all of them, going through the list of names in her mind. "Itachi, Kisame, Hidan, Kakuzu, Zetsu, Pein, Konan, Deidara and Sasori…" She turned to Itachi, a bit confused. "Ita-san, who's missing?"

He smiled, still protecting his dango as he ate it. "Tobi. Or Madara. Whichever you see him as."

"Oh yeah!" She couldn't believe she forgot the masked man, whom she loved as Tobi. "Where's – "

"He's not real." Itachi answered, already knowing her question as he watched Hidan and Kakuzu go at it again. Why did the two always fight? "The story behind Madara is mostly true; how he helped the First Hokage create Konoha, but the fight and the Mangekyou story was made up, along with Tobi. Because he has Sharingan, I play him." He explained, waiting for the zealot and banker to start dealing blows.

This made Kirei a bit sad, seeing as how he was one of her favorite characters, but knowing Itachi played him made Itachi so much cooler. "That's pretty awesome." She sighed afterward, finding Akatsuki to be much better in real life than in the show. Feeling this, she wanted to sketch each one of them separately, almost like how she did with her Christmas presents. Lucky thing she had her sketchbook in the basket, just below the blanket.

As she reached for it, Hidan found it first, taking it. "Oh? What the hell's this?" He asked, shaking it and flipping through it.

"It's my sketchbook, Hidan, give it back, please." Kirei answered, hoping she wouldn't lose her papers inside it or he wouldn't ruin it.

"Yeah, give it back, uh." Deidara added, protective of his also blonde friend.

Hidan didn't look at either one. "Fucking _**make**_ me."

Itachi was about to intervene, but Kirei stood up, hands on her hips, staring down at the zealot with a smirk.

"I bet I can." She was confident. She knew all about the Akatsuki, along with their weaknesses.

This made Hidan look up, closing the book and smirk as well. "Oh really?" He stood up. "_**Try**_ me, bitch."

Konan sighed, rolling her eyes. Why was she always stuck with these guys? Oh yes, she worked there. That's why.

Before Kirei could make a move, Kakuzu stood up. "You're willing to bet?" He asked, happy for an exchange of money.

By now, the whole attention of the Akatsuki was on the three.

Kirei nodded. "I'll bet you…" She looked up in thought, tapping her chin. "Well, you pick the amount."

Itachi began to wonder if Kirei knew what she was doing.

Kakuzu thought he was in heaven, smiling. "Alright, 150,000 yen sound good to you?"

She nodded, shrugging her shoulders, keeping her eyes solely on Hidan. "I don't care." She knew she was going to win this bet.

Kakuzu smiled, pulling out his checkbook. This would be a nice addition to his betting collection.

"So, how you gonna get this back, bitch? You gonna get the fucking weasel to get it _**for**_ you?" Hidan asked, smirking at her.

She smirked right back. "Nope." Knowing exactly what she was doing, Kirei reached up on her tiptoes, planting a kiss on Hidan's cheek. "That."

Everyone stared, some in awe, some in horror.

Kirei smiled as Hidan was too shocked to hold her book, letting it slip from his hands and fall into hers. With that same smile, she turned to Kakuzu. "Keep the money."

Well, Kakuzu was won over.

Kirei went back to her seat beside Deidara and Itachi, getting a hair tousling from Deidara and a few chuckles from Itachi.

"I'm not even going to ask how." Itachi mumbled, shaking his head. He had to admit, Kirei was smarter than she looked. Now he could see why his brother liked her so much.

She smiled.

She was cute, but not overly cute. Smart with playfulness, a lot of personality. She was almost like the interesting side of Sasuke. He was dark, a little depressed and showed little to no emotion. She was happy and bright at most times, always showing emotion.

They were exact opposites with similar pasts.

"Okay guys, break's over!!" The assistant director called, sitting on a moving camera deck.

Kirei watched as most of the Akatsuki got up and left, save for Hidan who was still shocked, but Deidara and Sasori stayed behind.

"We'll watch her, uh." Deidara said to Itachi as he began to leave. He was currently showing Kirei the art of exploding clay.

Itachi became a little worried, looking at the two blondes, dango stick still in his mouth.

Sasori sighed. "Which just means that _**I'll**_ watch them." He was always watching his blonde, making sure he wasn't getting into trouble, so what was watching another?

Relieved, Itachi nodded. "Thanks."

"No problem."

* * *

The morning and lunch had gone by quickly for Kirei, sketching her newfound friends while watching them act.

She always had someone hanging around her, which she enjoyed their company, but it was hard to sketch when someone watched her. At least Sasuke knew to give her space.

Which brought her to sigh; the thought of the raven. He had been away on a mission for the past week and a half, making life horribly depressing. Lifeless as he was, he brought life to her life.

Well, Kirei wasn't sure how to describe it.

"Danna?" She asked softly, eyes gazing to nowhere in particular.

The puppet master was the one currently with her, Deidara off in filming with everyone else. "Yes?"

She sighed, looking over at him. "How did you figure out your feelings for Sempai?" It was a question she had been wanting to ask ever since she met them, but now seemed like a more appropriate time.

He smirked. _'Damn that Itachi…he's __**good**__.'_ "Well, it wasn't easy. We were friends first and that confused the line between friendship and relationship. It's hard because as friends, you're close, but when you cross that line to relationship, you're not sure how to act – "

Both artists looked to the filming ground, seeing and hearing a rather large explosion go off.

"Deidara, for the _**millionth**_ time – " The assistant director started, yelling.

"IT WASN'T ME THIS TIME, I SWEAR!!" He yelled back. "That's not my type of clay! Or my explosions!"

Kirei watched, wondering what was set off. "_**This**_ time?" She arched an eyebrow to Sasori, who was looking at the smoke cloud strangely.

That definitely wasn't Deidara's work. "Yeah, he's set them off before." Watching the cloud, Sasori knew something was off. "Kirei, stand up." He commanded, getting up himself.

"Okay…" Kirei complied, a bit confused. She could tell the puppet master was on edge, but about what? "What's going on?"

Watching another explosion go off, this time much closer to them, hearing Hidan scream, "Aw, fuck, not _**you**_ bastards again!!" Sasori knew nothing good was happening. "Just stay with me, okay?"

Kirei watched him with wide eyes, heart beginning to race. At first, she thought her Danna was kidding, but seeing him, knew he was serious. She nodded, gulping. "Okay, Danna."

Sasori's eyes scanned the field in front of him, seeing most of it covered in smoke from the explosion, eyes suddenly flicking right beside them as another explosion went off. Like the other explosions, the smoke traveled downward, blurring the vision of the puppet master. "Kirei – " Looking beside him, Sasori found no blonde standing there.

Kirei was gone.

* * *

In the midst of the smoke, Kirei wasn't sure whose arm was around her waist, holding her on their shoulder. All she knew was that she wanted down, the ruthless bouncing of tree hopping was upsetting her stomach.

All of a sudden, the person carrying her was tackled…or attacked, of which she wasn't sure, sending her flying into the air. She wasn't in the air long before someone else grabbed her by the waist again and set her on her feet.

"You're okay now." The somewhat calm voice of Itachi spoke, bringing the blonde closer to him and keeping his arm around her waist to make sure no one else took her.

Knowing that Transformation Jutsu was possible, Kirei tried to pull away, afraid this wasn't _**her**_ Ita-san. When that failed, his grip too strong for her, she looked up, seeing the Sharingan look back at her. "What's my brother's name?" She asked, knowing that few people knew his name and that Itachi was one of the ones with the answer.

Itachi smirked. She was able, in a situation like this, to keep sort of calm and ask a question only he could answer. He whispered, "Daisuke, or as you called him, Daisu-nii-san."

Adding the nickname, Kirei was assured that this was the real Itachi. The one she could trust. Therefore, she latched onto him, seeing how he looked out into the smoke. Looking there herself, she saw a faded figure standing there.

"Who are you?" Itachi asked calmly, glaring with his Sharingan. "Why are you here?"

"I have no need to speak with you." The man replied, his voice obviously male. "I am here to speak with the lady."

Itachi ruffled his brows a bit. "Why?"

"It does not concern you." He answered, no emotion in his voice.

"Why do you want to talk to me?" Kirei asked. If Itachi couldn't anything out of him, she could at least try.

"Because – " He was about to speak, but cut off shortly. "Our time here is up. Don't worry, Kirei. We'll see each other in the future."

Itachi watched as he vanished in thin air, wondering just how the man knew her name. Moreover, why he wanted her in the first place.

"Ita-san?" Kirei asked softly, looking at the ground as he tried to find his friends, the smoke starting to clear.

"Hm?" He glanced down at her.

"Should I be scared?" She asked, sighing. It was confusing for her, seeing as how stuff like this had started happening to her…but beforehand, nothing bad happened. Now, it was starting to get dangerous.

He smiled, sighing. "No."

"Okay."

* * *

"She's with Konan now?" Sasori asked Itachi, feeing guilty about putting Kirei in a situation like that.

He nodded, sitting with other members of Akatsuki, smoke cleared from the grounds. "Yeah, she's teaching her how to make an origami rose."

"Why were they after cutie, anyway, uh?" Deidara asked, looking in between the two.

Currently, they were having a meeting. This "fake" Akatsuki didn't just affect her life, it affected theirs as well. They tainted the Akatsuki name, killing and hurting innocent people while sending the world into turmoil, although that hadn't started yet. They all knew it would though.

Itachi shook his head. "I'm not sure…the man said he wanted to speak to her and _**only**_ her…"

"Fucking bastards attacking a defenseless girl." Hidan clicked his tongue, stabbing himself with a kunai in anger. Despite the fact that she'd stunned him for the first good half of the day, he liked her.

Sighing, Kakuzu said, "At least it's over with now."

"No, it's not." Itachi was quick to reply, looking at the banker. "He told her he'd see her in the future, which begs me to ask…_**when**_?" The other members knew Itachi was worried. He had a right to be, hearing him sigh heavily.

For one, Kirei was like a little sister to him. The nickname she gave him helped, making it seem like he was her older brother. Ever since the Uchiha tragedy, Sasuke wasn't like his little brother anymore. He missed being seen as the loving older brother that fascinated and amazed their little siblings and Kirei made him that.

Second, she was important to Sasuke. Itachi had seen the change in his brother, _**small**_, but it was there. He was starting to revert back to the happy soul he'd seen before the tragedy. Meaning, that if Kirei was gone, so was Sasuke.

Itachi had to worry in _**two**_ ways.

Through his thinking, Deidara had gone off to check on Kirei and Konan, wondering how the origami was going. Soon after, Deidara sent them all a small note.

Attached to a bomb, of course.

Seconds before it went off, Itachi saw it, shielding his eyes when the smoke poured from the small clay bird, also sending fragments everywhere. "It read, "Come see this"." He informed the other members.

They exchanged glances, wondering what that meant. Curiosity too much for them, they got up, traveling down to the large oak tree Konan usually sat under.

Seeing them, she got up and met them, shushing them, a smile on her face. "Just stay quiet, you'll see." She smiled, knowing what lied beyond their sight.

Smiles began to take the place of confused faced when they saw what Konan knew. Deidara was standing only a foot away from a sleeping Kirei, half curled up like always.

Seeing his Danna, along with everyone else, he bounded over, voice hushed. "Oh, Danna, she's soo _**cute**_, uh! Can I pet her, uh?! Please, Danna, _**please**_, uh?!"

Seeing her sigh in her sleep, Sasori stumbled with an answer. "Dei-dei, I'm not sure that would be a good – "

"It's alright." Itachi said as he unhooked the buttons on his cloak, taking it off and setting it over top the sleeping girl. "I think as long as he's quiet, he won't wake her up."

"Yay!" Deidara cried softly, bounding over at first, his steps turning soft as he came close to her.

Stepping back, Itachi and the others watched as Deidara sat behind Kirei, petting the hair on her head, hearing a content whine escape.

"Well, _**fucking**_ _**shit**_, Itachi. I know why Sasuke's got the hots for her." He said, pointing to Kirei briefly. "She's fucking _**adorable**_."

* * *

Sasuke sighed, his hellhole of a mission over and done with. At least now he was home in Konoha, able to see all his friends.

Or so he thought.

When he arrived at the grounds, few remained and a certain blonde was nowhere to be found. She hadn't gone home _**already**_, had she?

Just as he was about to teleport to the blonde's loft, Hinata came up to him, giving him a hug. Ever since Kirei started to change him, she was able to give the raven hugs. "Oh, it's good to see you back, Sasuke."

He offered a small smile, slightly hugging her back. "Thanks. Where's – "

Sighing, Hinata knew he was going to ask. "She's up with your brother. She spent the day up there."

Oh _**joy**_.

What great, _**great**_ joy.

He sighed. "Thanks, Hinata."

She shook her head. "No problem, Sasuke." She watched as he vanished, happy to see the Uchiha finally happy with life.

Sasuke couldn't believe his luck. He'd just faced a mission that almost killed him and now he had to see his brother to pick up his best friend, whom his brother thought he had a crush on?

What shitty luck he had.

Landing on top of the hill that overviewed the large oak tree, where the group mostly sat, Sasuke was surprised to find most of them at the tree, sitting around. They usually sat there when it was hot outside, favoring the shade and today was not a hot day.

Immediately, he was alert, wondering what kind of plan they had up their sleeves now. Silent in walking down, when the others noticed his presence, they placed a finger up to their mouth, shushing him.

His confusion cleared when he came within view of Kirei.

She was asleep at the base of the oak tree, a cloak covering her while Deidara gently stroked her hair, watching her sleep. Sasuke didn't fail to notice the paper rose in her hair either.

"I'm here to pick her up." He said, gulping, not taking his eyes off the sleeping blonde.

Others shot glances with smirks, seeing him watch her.

Deidara was the first to express his displeasure. "Awwww…do you _**hafta**_, uh?"

Sasuke nodded. "Yes. She has school tomorrow."

Although sad, he nodded. "Okay…Just don't wake her up, uh."

Sasuke approached her, softening his voice. "Like I _**want**_ to."

Hidan snickered. Oh, it was just too obvious, _**way**_ too obvious.

Hearing his snicker, Sasuke knew what he was thinking. "She's a monster when she wakes up." He tried to use as a cover up.

"That's about as fucking true as much as I enjoy kissing people." Hidan shot back.

Silencing him, Sasuke picked her up effortlessly, letting Deidara place her hanging arms on her stomach, her head already resting on his shoulder. "Whose cloak?"

"Mine." Itachi replied as he also stood, picking up the small rose that fell from her hair. "Don't forget this." He placed it back in her hair, watching how his brother's sight was drawn to it. "Just bring it home with you."

He nodded. "Thanks you guys." With a sigh, the two vanished, heading back to Kirei's loft.

Sitting back down with his friends, Itachi thought out loud, smirking. "I wonder if he'll come home tonight."

Everyone else snickered.

* * *

Following the trail of the two "lovebirds" Hidan was able to find Kirei's loft rather easily, seeing as how she forgot her sketchbook and basket, not wanting another kiss from the girl so she could get it back.

Using the front door, he opened it, "Hey, fuc – "

"You're _**hurt**_…"

Hidan quickly shushed himself, hearing the voice of a sleepy Kirei just up the stairs. Curious, he traveled up the stairs and to the right, seeing the door open. Looking inside, he figured it was Kirei's room, seeing her sitting on the bed, probably just getting up. Sasuke was standing in front of her, cloak in his hands.

"I'm fine, Kirei. Go ahead back to sleep." He assured, shaking his head.

Not believing him, Kirei reached her hand up, fingering the semi-large cut on Sasuke's cheek.

He flinched slightly at her touch, still feeling pain from it.

"I should bandage it for you." She said, eyes low, breathing deep. From what Hidan could tell, she was still somewhere between La-la-land and asleep.

Sasuke wasn't sure if he could get away with it, being that she was half asleep, but he could try. "You could kiss it and make it better for me." It was true. Ever since the night of Prom, he'd wanted to kiss her more, but also have her kiss him more. Anytime he could, he'd try to sucker her into it. He failed most of the time.

She nodded, sleepily. "Okay."

Hidan watched as she wobbly stood up, her balance coming from the raven, who set his hands on her waist as she gently kissed the Uchiha's cut. His jaw agape, Hidan couldn't believe the raven. He was _**totally**_ taking advantage of her sleepy state! ""Just a friend" my ass." He mumbled, walking back down the steps and out of the house, silently closing the door.

He looked at the sketchbook in his hands, wondering what to do with it. After a moment of thought, Hidan decided to keep it.

Keeping it meant that one day, the blonde would be back for it. With the blonde came Sasuke. With both Kirei and Sasuke there, he could pick on them _**all**_ he wanted. He smirked happily, heading for home.

What a genius plan.


	11. Anniversary

* * *

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD

_Notes/Warnings: _None this chapter. As a note, yes this story has an OC. Yes, it has Yaoi. Yes, the OC is related to someone on the show.

_**DEAL**_.

If you don't like it, don't read or review. Just hit the button that says, "Back" Or the little backspace key on your keyboard.

Sigh, what a week. We've had lots of trouble in where I live. We had a huge "windstorm", I guess, knocked down trees and such everywhere. Power went out on Sunday night, we got it back on Wednesday. For that time, I was living between my house and my Lovely Aunt's house because she had power. What's worse, I have a cold and horrible chest pains. I know I shouldn't be on, but I can't leave you guys out. I've been resting a lot, here and there, so I'm going to update again very soon (within the weekend). Things will pick up in a few chapters, just as a TINY spoiler. :D Hope you like this chapter!!

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!

* * *

_Chapter 11 – Anniversary_

* * *

"You _**sure**_ you're alright, Princess?" Sasuke asked, seeing Kirei crawl into her bed and curl up like she always did.

Staying silent, Kirei nodded, not looking at the raven.

Looking at her, Sasuke sighed, wondering what was wrong with her. That's why he was spending the night once again.

Throughout the day, Kirei seemed normal to any person who saw her. She was mostly smiles and happy, but knowing her as well as he did, Sasuke knew something was off.

He wasn't exactly sure of what it was, seeing as how she was rather normal, just a little quieter than normal. Worried as he was, he asked to spend the night, seeing if maybe she just wasn't feeling well.

She hesitated in letting him stay the night, something Sasuke had _**never**_ seen her do.

Coming back to her house, she was quiet and preferred not to hold his hand, unlike how she always held it. He added this to his list of odd things she'd done during the day.

Another thing he added was later on in the night; He was the one who made dinner, Kirei refusing to make it. He knew for a fact that she loved to cook. Sometimes her meals didn't taste all that good, but she still loved it.

The last thing that made Sasuke worry was the fact that she didn't paint. Or sculpt. Or draw. She did nothing art related that night.

He sighed, watching her curl up the whole way, clutching her blankets and pillow, something he'd never seen. "Okay, Kirei." He climbed into the other side of the bed, happy that he could be in the same room, just in case she did get sick or something else happened. He was also very happy that he was a light sleeper.

If she did wake up, he'd know.

* * *

It was around midnight when Kirei awoke, feeling her stomach churn. Hoping not to disturb Sasuke, she sat up, gulping and trying to calm herself down. She completely regretted letting Sasuke spend the night again, feeling her stomach churn once more.

All thoughts left Kirei's mind as she ran for the bathroom that was attached to her room, throwing up the contents of her stomach into the toilet bowl.

Sasuke sighed, hearing her run into the bathroom, hacking and coughing, still somewhat sleepy. He knew she was sick.

Getting up, he walked over to the bathroom, flipping on the light and standing beside the blonde, holding back her hair for her, rubbing her back as well. "I knew you were sick." He mumbled.

Kirei coughed some more, sniffling.

Looking around the bathroom, he grabbed a hanging towel, handing it to her. After she took it, he felt her forehead with the back of his hand, finding what he didn't expect.

Kirei _**didn't**_ have a fever.

He knelt down to her level, trying to catch her eyesight. He was going to get to the bottom of this. She wasn't sick, yet she was puking her guts out? Something was wrong.

She kept it from him, finally shutting her eyes to get him to stop.

"Okay, Kirei." He relented, pushing some of her bangs away. "Back to bed?"

She nodded, thankful that Sasuke didn't pry when health was at matter. Before she could try to stand, Sasuke lifted her off the ground, carrying her back to bed.

He figured with how "sick" she was, she'd be a wobbly walker and he wasn't going to take his chances. Even though, she didn't seem to mind, going to sleep on him like always. Setting her back in her bed, he yawned, pulling her covers over her. "You're lucky I spent the night again."

As before, there was no reply from Kirei. Just a whine and a yawn.

He chuckled, tousling her hair gently, not wanting to shake her up too much. "If you feel sick again, let me know, alright?" He asked, keeping his hand on her head.

She nodded, now thankful that he was there.

Happy he got some form of an answer, Sasuke went back to his side of the bed, pulling out his phone. "We need to talk about your cousin." He wrote in the text message to Naruto.

_"Tomorrow at Ichiraku." _Was the reply only a minute after Sasuke's message.

Sighing, Sasuke set the phone back on the small nightstand, happy he'd start getting some answers. Rolling over, it was then he realized Naruto didn't specify _**when**_ to meet.

Knowing the blonde, Sasuke'd be there all day.

"Sasuke?"

Surprised at the sudden, but soft voice, he looked over to Kirei, finding a pair of sleepy blue eyes looking at him. "Hm?"

"I'm cold." She continued, looking over at him. "Can I…"

Shaking his head as he smiled, Sasuke reached out, pulling the shivering blonde closer to him, keeping his arms around her. He couldn't figure out why she was cold, seeing as how she slept with 3 blankets, but was happy to hold her close to him.

"Thank you." She mumbled quietly into his chest, happy someone was there to help her.

Waiting a minute for her to fall asleep, Sasuke kissed the top of her head, smiling. "No problem."

* * *

Sighing, Sasuke couldn't believe his luck. He already knew it was bad, but could it really get _**any**_ suckier?

With the downpour outside, apparently it could.

He'd been waiting for Naruto for about an hour now, refusing any food before the blonde got there. Fed up as he was, he would've left if it hadn't been that he'd be getting answers for Kirei's strange actions.

He'd left in the morning, leaving the blonde still sleeping, which wasn't too strange, but he couldn't stop worrying about her. She'd barely eaten the night before and if he didn't get back and make sure she ate breakfast…

"You're thinking about nee-chan, _**aren't**_ you?"

Sasuke jumped at the sudden voice so close to him. "Bastard!" He hissed at the blonde who sat beside him, shaking some water from his hair. "Don't do that!"

"Aw," He began, ordering up a nice hot bowl of Miso Ramen. "Did I scare you?" He asked as if he was talking to a child.

"No, just startled me. Now, what's wrong with Kirei?" He wanted to find out as soon as possible, worried about the blonde who was damn near always on his mind.

Naruto chuckled, wondering just how deep Sasuke'd gotten. "Hold your horses, Sasuke." He grinned, reaching out for the piping hot bowl that was just set in front of him. "Why don't you tell me the date, ne?"

Watching the blonde separate his chopsticks, Sasuke arched an eyebrow. "The date?"

Slurping up some of the noodles, Naruto nodded.

Sasuke took a minute to think. "It's June 8th, why does that matter?" Sasuke took a deep breath, trying to keep his calm.

Looking into the broth of his ramen, Naruto sighed, knowing this date very well. "It's the Anniversary Week."

"_**Anniversary**_ Week?" He questioned, his mind automatically linking Daisuke and Anniversary together.

The blonde nodded. "Yes. One week from now will be the Anniversary of Daisuke's death." He stated, voice calm. "Did she throw up last night, start shivering?" He looked over at the raven, slurping up some more noodles.

"Yeah," Sasuke nodded. "I thought she was sick, but she didn't have a fever."

"Nightmares." Naruto answered, gulping down the noodles. "It signals the start of the Week." He began. "Now, I'm telling you all this to warn you, teme. I know you like Kirei and all,"

Sasuke glared. He knew what the blonde was thinking; Sasuke loved Kirei. Why did everyone think that?! They were just close friends!

"but, from here…" He pointed at him with his chopsticks. "It gets worse."

Sasuke silently waited for an explanation.

"After the nightmares, she'll stop sleeping, she's too scared too. About the middle of the week, Wednesday, she starts eating less."

Hearing all this, remembering what he went through when his family died, Sasuke said, "It sounds like an advanced – "

"Depression state?" The blonde finished. "It _**is**_. Thankfully, It's now down to a week." Picking up more noodles with his chopsticks, he continued. "It used to be a whole month of depression. I'm proud of her though. She's gotten _**much**_ better with talking about him over the past few weeks. Just the other day, she told Hinata about him." He cooled the noodles down before slurping them up.

Sasuke smiled, having a part to play in that. He'd been helping or trying to help Kirei make it easier to talk about him. Hearing that once she'd been this way for a month, in this depression state made Sasuke a tinge mad and a bit sad. "What happens next Sunday?"

"The two of us head up to the grave sight that night and I'll find a place to hang out while she talks to him." He answered.

"She _**talks**_ to him?" Sasuke raised another eyebrow, skeptically.

Naruto nodded nonetheless. "It's odd, yes…but she'll sit at the gravestone and "talk" to him, tell him everything that's been going on in her life…kinda like he's right there with her. After a while, I head back and she'll be asleep there, like how she slept with him as a kid."

"And you take her home?" Sasuke asked, guessing the ending.

"Nope." Naruto smiled. "We spend the night on the grave. She gets her whole personality back and she'll wake up laughing," He quickly drank the rest of the broth, bringing the bowl to his lips. "That's the best part. Hearing her laugh after a week of being…" He looked over at the raven. "Well…_**you**_."

Sasuke shook his head. "Shut it." Hearing all of this, it made a bit of sense to Sasuke.

Yeah, he was getting a little tired of hearing about Daisuke, but he could understand. He was Kirei's whole world and one day, he's up and gone. "Hey," He began, seeing Naruto get another full bowl of Ramen. "Do you think I could join you two…on Sunday?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "It's all up to nee-chan. At first, she didn't want to go and see him…but I forced her to. It's something she _**has**_ to do."

Sasuke smiled, remembering similar words said by the female blonde. "Okay. Thanks, Naruto."

"Nrrff," He began, swallowing down the noodles in his mouth. "problem." He watched as the raven left, smiling and shaking his head. Naruto may have been the most oblivious person ever, but even he could see what was going on.

Too bad Sasuke didn't.

* * *

For one week, Sasuke watched in utter torture as Kirei became a recluse, almost spiraling into depression.

She wouldn't even venture out of her house by Saturday.

And leave it to Sasuke, who couldn't outright say what he wanted to her, too worried too. Since he had been spending every night there – or at least tried – he had yet to ask her if he could come along with them to the graveyard. He wanted to be there to help her like every time before hand.

He sighed, sitting on one end of the couch, Kirei on the other, staring blankly at the tv screen. "Princess?" He used her "nickname", since it was the only thing she seemed to respond to anymore.

She glanced over, not moving one bit of body.

"You don't have to speak to answer…but…um…" He cursed in his mind. Why couldn't he ever just say what he wanted to say around her?!

Even in her depressed state, she still found the socially incompetent Uchiha cute, smiling a bit, waiting for him to finish.

"Can I…come with you two to…the graveyard on Sunday?" He finally asked, looking over at her. He hoped she'd say yes.

She sighed heavily, wrinkling her nose, thinking about it. Getting her answer, she finally moved, crawling over to the raven and sitting beside him, using his shoulder as a pillow. "Okay, Sasuke."

He sighed in relief, happy at her answer. Hell, he was happy because for 3 days, he hadn't heard her speak. "Thank you, Kirei."

She whined in response, closing her eyes. When he first asked to stay the week, she was hesitant, not wanting to put him through seeing her like this.

She had to admit to herself that she was getting better at talking about Daisuke, just like she promised to him in her resolution. Only at times like this, when he was cute and happy to help her did she not regret letting him stay.

She seriously started to wonder if she was falling in love with her best friend…

* * *

"Now, you be a good girl and tell Daisuke all about your adventures here in Konoha, okay?" Naruto told Kirei as he kissed her on the forehead, the three of them in the graveyard where Daisuke lied.

She nodded, "Mm-hmm." She looked at both of the boys, offered a small smile and ran off, weaving through gravestones to find her special spot.

"And now what?" Sasuke asked as Naruto turned the other direction and started walking. Of course, he followed.

"We wait. About…2 maybe 3 we'll go check on her." Naruto pulled out his phone, setting an alarm for 2:30 AM. Once he was finished, he set it back in his pocket, looking to the raven who followed him. "I usually head off to my mom's grave, if you want to join me." He offered.

Seeing as how the Uchiha looked solemnly at the graves, remembering just who was buried in this cemetery, Naruto figured that would be a "No."

"No…sorry. I'm think I'm gonna go speak to someone. Meet up at the mausoleum?" He answered, disconnected with the world.

Naruto nodded. "Sure." He sensed Sasuke's teleport, sighing. "I guess the idea of talking to dead people is catching on…"

* * *

Looking down at the two very well kept headstones with a disconnected gaze, Sasuke set his hand on one of them, sighing. He hadn't been here in over 10 years.

"Hey, mom."

Sitting down, the Uchiha was glad he was alone. No one could think he was crazy for doing this.

"…Life's gotten better, if you're wondering." He felt very odd to be talking to a gravestone. "I have a few friends…no one really close, other than two of them." He smiled at the thought of them. "I mean…it was hard to make friends…after what happened…"

Oddly enough, as the Uchiha became more comfortable, he found that talking to the headstone wasn't that bad. He could reveal any feeling he wanted and no one would know.

It's the perfect therapist.

"And I still don't forgive you guys…but I'm here with a friend…so I figured I'd let you know how life has been." He sighed heavily, staring at his mother's name. "I hate to say it mom…but I miss you guys. I'm not sure why, seeing as what you both did is unforgivable…"

He couldn't tear his eyes away from her name. _Uchiha Mikoto; Loving mother and wife._

"I gave your necklace away, mom." He decided to change the subject, not wanting to dwell on that part of his past. "I gave it to a girl who needed it more than I did. I hope you don't mind or anything."

Silence was his answer.

"I guess you could say I like her…everyone else seems to think so, but I'm not sure…I think about it a lot." A smile crossed his lips. "I think you'd like her, mom. She's cute and kinda happy a lot…she has the prettiest blue eyes I've ever seen…and she likes to paint. A lot."

Sasuke felt oddly happy, talking to someone who wasn't even alive. It was strange to think that talking to a gravestone in a graveyard could make someone happy.

"Just so you know, mom…I get mad at you and dad for doing this to us, to Itachi and me…but I also realize it's made us who we are…gave us a reason to be us…so," He said, standing up, setting his hand on the gravestone, smiling just a bit. Even though he liked talking to her, Sasuke didn't want to talk anymore. He was starting to remember things best left forgotten. "…thanks, mom," He looked at the stone next to it, his smile vanishing. "you to, dad."

He vanished, not wanting to be there any longer.

Arriving at the mausoleum, finding no Naruto, Sasuke looked at his phone, realizing that only 15 minutes had passed.

He sighed, crossing his arms and leaning on the door of the building. "It's gonna be one _**long**_ night."

* * *

"He's cute, Daisu-nii-san." Kirei said as she sat, her arms wrapped around her knees, looking at the headstone of her dearly departed brother. "I mean, don't get me wrong, he's my best friend, but he's cute. Especially when he tries to be social." She giggled at the thought of the failing socially Uchiha.

Kirei never minded the silence she got for an answer. To her, it just meant that he was listening.

"He has a past a lot like ours, too." She nodded. "I think you know his brother, Uchiha Itachi."

A strong wind blew, blowing Kirei's hair out of her face.

"I thought so. It's his little brother. He's with Naruto and me today. He wanted to come with us." She sighed, knowing that talking to a gravestone was deemed as crazy to people, but she _**was**_ a Namikaze, after all.

Looking onto the night sky, she sighed, feeling something hit her chest as she gently rocked back and forth. She didn't need to look down to see what it was. "Oh, yeah, Daisu-nii-san, he gave me this necklace to remind me of him when he's not with me." Kirei couldn't help but smile, the raven on her mind. She always smiled when he was on her mind.

Which just meant that she was always smiling.

"I miss you, Daisu-nii-san…And I know you wouldn't like to hear about how depressed I get without you, but I'm getting better! I think next year, it won't be Anniversary Week. It'll be Anniversary _**Day**_!" She laughed a bit, knowing her brother would tousle her hair in this instance, a gesture of approval.

It seemed the wind did this for her, messing up her hair.

"I love you, Daisu-nii-san."

* * *

Hours later, Naruto let out the largest yawn of his life, sitting next to the mausoleum, hopping that 2:30 would come soon. He was starting to fall asleep.

Had it not been for Sasuke standing next to him and poking him in the arm with his foot, Naruto would've fallen asleep for sure. "Even though it's not 2:30 yet," Sasuke yawned, cursing the blonde for starting the yawn-fest. "We should go check on her. She's probably asleep anyway."

Naruto nodded as his eyes closed, head rolling off to the side a bit. "Yeah, sure…"

Sasuke sighed, seeing Naruto nod off. Was he the only one who could stay up this late? Looking at the blonde, he figured yes. "Okay, okay, get up, dobe." He gently kicked the blonde, startling him.

"I'm awake, I'm awake!" He jumped up, shaking his head at an attempt to wake up.

Sasuke pushed off he building. "Alright, let's go find Kirei, cause I have no clue where I'm going."

"Yeah." Naruto started off going to the left.

Sasuke followed.

Suddenly, Naruto stopped, opening his eyes and looking around. "Oh, whoops. Wrong direction, sorry." He turned, heading to the right this time.

Sasuke shook his head, sighing as he followed the blonde. Naruto never was good with directions.

* * *

Coming up on a Sakura Tree in the dead of night, Sasuke saw the sleeping form of Kirei, hunkered right below a grave. The grave was of course, Daisuke's, his name displayed on the headstone. Despite all these facts, she still looked adorable when she slept.

He watched in silence as a sleepwalking Naruto went up to her and crawled close to her, setting his head on her shoulder and finally going to sleep. The last thing he did, conscious of it or not, was reach for Kirei's hand, grabbing it and holding it with him as he slept.

Standing there over the two, Sasuke wasn't sure if he could do the same. Well, he could, but did he really, _**really**_ want to? He would be sleeping within the crook of her arm, something she always did with him.

Looking at her, he smiled. Yeah, he could do it, just for tonight.

Just like Naruto did, he sat beside her, using her unoccupied shoulder for a pillow, curling up next to her. He did this only because he figured she was cold, since it was nighttime. "Goodnight, Kirei." He mumbled softly.

He heard no answer, but felt a very small, soft hand connect with his. Instead of opening his eyes to see whose it was, he smiled and pulled it closer to him.

If he thought about it in the right way, this was just like a best friend sleepover. The only difference was that they weren't at home.

They were in a graveyard.

A graveyard filled with past emotions and future depressions, love and hate, regret and happiness and most important of all, the spirits of family who meant everything to everyone.

* * *

Sighing as she felt light penetrate her eyelids, Kirei whined softly as she woke up. She tried to stretch out her fingers and hands but found both were occupied.

The one she could understand; it was with her cousin who always ventured this trip with her. He always held her hand out of habit during that night.

The other hand she was a little confused with. At least until she looked, seeing the head of spiky black hair snuggled into her shoulder, causing her to smile.

Sasuke was with her too.

Seeing the two of them; the blonde stretched out, the raven curled up, Kirei began to chuckle, shaking her head.

Oh yes, with these two, Anniversary Week would become Anniversary Day.

Kirei found it was a good way to start her morning.

Waking up in a graveyard with two boys sleeping on top of her in completely different ways.

She smiled even more. What a great way, indeed.


	12. Birthday

* * *

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD

_Notes:_ I have removed the warnings, seeing as how after 12 chapters, I think you guys know what you're getting into. Anyway, you've probably already read about my week from the previous chapter, so there's not much to say here. I hope you like this chapter, like all the others.

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!

* * *

_Chapter 12 – Birthday_

* * *

"Okay, nee-chan," Naruto said as he glanced beside him, he and his cousin right outside the backdoor of the Uchiha household. He had his hand on the doorknob, knowing it was locked. "You just," He rattled the knob and kicked the door once. "Rattle the knob, kick the door and push." He pushed the door open, revealing the kitchen of the Uchiha house.

Smiling, Kirei chuckled. She finally knew how to break into the Uchiha house.

"And when you're leaving, shut the door, pull down on the knob and punch right above it. I'll lock it right up, okay?" He instructed, smiling. It was a talent Naruto had. He could always break into the Uchiha household and he felt good, seeing as how he was passing that knowledge to someone who would use it.

She nodded. "Okay." She reached out, hugging her cousin. "Thanks, nii-san." She walked inside the household, hand set upon the door, smiling at her cousin.

He shook his head, reaching out and tousling her hair. "You're welcome, nee-chan. Just tell Teme I said Happy Birthday, okay?"

She nodded, smiling as he vanished. Sighing in excitement, she shut the door softly, knowing no one was in the house. She locked it behind her, looking at the medium sized kitchen.

Today was indeed Sasuke's 19th birthday, although he was off on a mission.

This made it perfect for Kirei sneak into his house and make a cake for him, complete with a present, leaving it in plain sight while she sneaked back out of the house. She'd come back after he came home to come and wish him a Happy Birthday in person, but she wanted to surprise him first.

Clapping her hands together, she started rummaging through the Uchiha's kitchen.

He was going to get the biggest and the best Birthday surprise she could make.

* * *

Sighing as he entered his house, Sasuke was thankful to be home.

So far, this was the crappiest birthday he'd ever had.

His mission had taken longer than it was supposed to and to make it worse, he was chased and almost attacked by a bear.

He wasn't surprised to see all the lights off, setting his keys down on the stand beside the couch. At least now he could get something to eat and it wouldn't cost him a foot and a hand.

Walking into the kitchen, Sasuke stopped dead, staring at his kitchen table.

There was a small white cake near the edge of the table, littered with 17 white candles, two dining room candles set on each side. The two were the only ones lit, barely showing the small square present beside the right candle.

Unable to see what was written on the cake in the small light, he blew out the two large candles, smiling in confusion as the 17 on the cake suddenly lit up.

_"Happy 19__th__ Birthday, Emo Kid."_

"_**Kirei**_…" He shook his head, smiling. He should've _**known**_ the blonde would pull something like this.

Before pulling up a chair, he flicked he lights on, blowing out the rest of the candles, sitting in the chair as he pulled the present into his hands.

It was small, square and made no noise when he shook it. Sasuke wondered what it was, tearing off the messy wrapping.

Wood was the first thing he saw, recognizing it as a photo frame. A small painting from her crossed his mind, but that wasn't what was inside the frame. Seeing it, he ruffled his brows.

It was a photo of the two of them from Halloween in Suna, when he cosplayed as Zack Fair and she cosplayed as Aerith Gainsborough, both from Final Fantasy VII.

Kirei had her head on his shoulder, smiling while her eyes were closed. That wasn't all that strange, seeing as how Kirei was always smiling.

What surprised him was the smile on _**his**_ face as he looked down at her. He didn't remember smiling when she'd set her head on his shoulder. Now that Sasuke thought about it, anytime he saw the blonde, he'd smile.

Odd.

He hadn't picked that up before. He knew that she would smile and laugh all the time, especially with him and at times, he did too. He loved her company.

Yeah, she was a little loud and happy, but it wasn't overpowering. At times, she wasn't loud, preferring to be soft and quiet – especially when she sketched.

When she got that soft look in her eyes, her lips rolling and being bitten, looking up and down. How she'd pull her knees close for a makeshift table, her arms drawn in, hair gently setting on her shoulders and draping down her back…

He could watch her, anytime and forever. He loved the way she went into this trance and blocked out the rest of the world.

Now that he thought about it, gazing softly at her in the photo, he loved _**everything**_ about her.

How she'd cringe and giggle when he'd tousle her hair, how she smiled nearly all the time, how she always hung around him, holding his hand or arm, sitting with him, anything. How she stretched when she just woke up, rubbing her eyes, how her skin, eyes and hair glowed in the sunlight, how her slightly plump pinkish lips formulated every sound she made, no matter if she sung or spoke, just everything she did, Sasuke found himself in love with.

His finger set upon Kirei in the photo, wanting to draw back the hair that set in her face, a realization came to Sasuke that would forever change his life.

He was in love with Kirei.

* * *

It was just breaking dusk as Kirei walked along the streets of Konoha, wondering if Sasuke had gotten her present yet.

Lord knew, she spent her whole afternoon on that small cake, trying to make it absolutely _**perfect**_ for him. She even made the cake a little less sweet, knowing that the raven didn't enjoy sweets all that much. She also couldn't resist putting her nickname for him on there, knowing he'd smile when he saw it.

He'd also smile when he'd see the picture she'd wrapped, thankfully able to get it from Gaara before he used it for blackmail.

Coming back from her thoughts, Kirei smiled, seeing the kitchen light to the Uchiha Manor flipped on. "Time for a little surprise…"

* * *

Sasuke sighed a heavy sigh, sitting on the chair in his kitchen, staring at the photo of himself and Kirei, taken almost a year ago.

He had denied the fact that he was in love with her when he first thought about it, but as the Uchiha sorted through his thoughts, he realized it was true.

In this truth, he wasn't sure if he was happy or angry.

Happy because finally, for _**once**_ his life, he was able to love someone, someone so close to him, so much a part of his life, he wouldn't know what to do without.

Or angry _**because**_ of those feelings. In loving Kirei, he put her in a situation Naruto had originally tried to avoid by having the rule set upon all of the guys. That situation was one, that if happened, Sasuke would _**never**_ forgive himself.

That situation he thought of was a possible kidnapping, an attack, or worse; both. Ninja from other countries sought for the information hidden within Konoha and the best way – from his own thinking – to get that information, rather than trying to break in and steal it, would be a trade off.

Sasuke would die if Kirei was on the end of that deal, just because he was in love with her. "I can't believe how fucking stupid I am…" He mumbled, fingers playing with the wood of the frame. His grip increased as he became mad with the thought of how much danger she might be in, when the frame slipped from his grasp, crashing on the tile floor, the glass inside shattering. As it spilt onto the floor, Sasuke picked up his feet, cursing. "Aw, shit…" He was going to have to clean that up, sooner rather than later.

Getting up while avoiding the glass, Sasuke went around the table to the small pantry, getting the broom and dustpan and moving back to the glass.

Before he was able to clean it up, Sasuke slipped on something, his foot sliding as he crashed right into the table with enough force to send the tiny cake up and right back down to the floor, thanks to gravity.

All the work that went into the cake was now gone, the of icing spread out, the actual cake sitting on its side.

Sighing as he regained his footing, Sasuke couldn't believe his luck. He'd just ruined one of the best presents he'd ever gotten! "How can this get _**any**_ worse…?" He mumbled.

Just as he was about to sweep up the glass, the doorknob from the door right near him starting rattling.

Looking at it in absolute horror, Sasuke found a way that his luck could get much, _**much**_ worse.

Using her Uchiha housebreaking skills, Kirei entered the house that was somewhat familiar to her with a smile, ready to wish her best friend a happy birthday. "Happy Birthday, you emo kid." She began, the counter hiding the floor from her view. "What did you – " Her happy voice cut horribly short as the floor came into the view of her blue eyes.

She was shocked, to say the least.

Sasuke made no movement, just staring at Kirei, trying to get himself to say something to her, heart beating a mile a minute. "K-Kirei, it's not – "

She closed her eyes, shaking her head. "If you didn't like it, you could've just _**said**_ something, bastard!" With a turn, Kirei ran straight out of the house, crying her heart out because it hurt so bad.

As the door slammed shut, Sasuke fell back in the chair behind him, burying his face in his hands, sighing heavily, the broom and dustpan crashing to the floor. Sitting there, Sasuke closed his eyes, not wanting to see anything anymore. He wasn't even sure of what to do; should he chase after the blonde, or let her cool down?

He opted for the latter, pulling out his phone with another sigh. He called the only other person who could help.

"Yo, teme!" Naruto answered, happy to hear from the Uchiha. He was about to call him, sitting on the couch in the living room of the Hokage Mansion, but it seemed Sasuke beat him to it.

"Naruto, I fucked up big time." Sasuke answered, his voice thoroughly depressed.

Naruto sighed, hearing this. "What did you do _**this**_ time, teme?" He had a feeling this had something to do with Kirei.

"Well…I got this present from her…and I kinda realized that – "

"You're in love with her? Yes, we all figured it out." Naruto answered, happy to hear that the raven finally realized.

"Oh, thanks for telling me."

"It was _**you**_ wouldn't listen to us!" Naruto shot back, remembering how Sasuke would always scowl at them at the mention of him having feelings for her. "Go on."

"And," Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, starting to sit up more, replaying the events that just transpired. "Well, they were both accidents, I totally didn't mean for them to happen, okay?"

Naruto thought Sasuke had gone off the deep end. What was he rambling on about? "Oh hey, can you hold on for a sec? Nee-chan's here, she's all upset."

"But she's what this is all – " Sasuke stopped talking, hearing the phone set down, probably on the coffee table. Even at that distance, he could hear what was going on.

"It's okay, nee-chan," Naruto soothed. "Just tell me what happened."

Sasuke could hear her sniffle, meaning she'd been crying. "Well," She began with a sigh. "I made Sasuke a cake for his birthday and gave him this photo I got from Gaara – " That answered Sasuke's question of where the photo came from. "And when I went back to see him," She hiccupped, sniffling a bit more. "the photo had been shattered and all the glass was on the floor, the cake was smashed onto the floor too!!" Her words near the end became muffled.

Sasuke guessed it was because she was crying into Naruto's chest.

"That teme's such a bastard." He began, probably trying to cheer her up.

"Nut-uh! He's not…always." Kirei defended, making Sasuke smile. "It just hurts, nii-san…"

"What does?" Naruto asked, eyes flickering to the open phone on the table. Oh that's right, Sasuke was still on the line.

"_**Everything**_," She sighed. "My hands, my brain…my heart… All of it."

Sasuke winced. He was mostly to blame for that.

"Nee-chan, why don't we go away for a few days, hm? Just the two of us. We can go up to that Onsen in the mountains. You can calm down and gather your thoughts and when we get back, you can talk to Sasuke, okay?" Naruto proposed, his voice calm and soft.

Kirei was silent, probably thinking. "…Okay, nii-san."

Sasuke could hear the smile in Naruto's voice as he spoke. "Okay then. You go home and get packed. I'll get packed and we'll leave as soon as possible."

She sighed. "I love you, nii-san."

"Love you too, nee-chan. Now, go get packed."

"Yes-huh, sir!" She laughed, getting up.

Smiling as he listened, happy to hear her laugh again, Sasuke heard the phone get picked back up. "Naruto?"

"You know where I'm talking about, right?" He asked, full knowing the raven knew where the Onsen was. "I want you to come by later tonight."

"Wha…why?" He fumbled for an answer, confused.

Naruto sighed. "Look, you're _**both**_ hurting, okay? You're mad, she's upset, it's better if you guys talk this out. Who knows, maybe she'll go out with you. Just come up for the night and I'll send you a text when I think it's best that you talk to her."

"Sounds like you thought this out for once." Sasuke smirked.

"Shut it, teme."

"Thanks, Naruto." He sighed, thankful that he'd get to speak with Kirei. He could at least try to talk to her.

"Don't hurt her, teme. Just talk."

"I wouldn't ever, you know that."

Naruto nodded, although Sasuke couldn't see it. "We'll see you later, then."

"See ya." Sighing, Sasuke finally looked at the mess on the floor, figuring he'd have more than enough time to clean it up and get going.

His mind focused on Kirei, the sight of her crying burned into his mind, Sasuke didn't realize he'd picked up a rather large glass shard with his hand, holding it in his palm. He did realize and drop it when it cut into his palm, making a very nice sized gash in his hand. "_**Fuck**_!" He cursed in pain, dropping the broom in his other hand and getting to the sink, running water over his new wound.

"Need some help?"

Sasuke nearly jumped out of his skin, his brother scaring the living daylights out of him. "Bastard!" He hissed.

Itachi eyed the mess on the floor, figuring Sasuke cut his hand on the glass. "I see you had a fun birthday."

Sasuke nodded, huffing. "Yeah, I got a cake, a present, a cut on the hand, my best friend's mad at me and the best part is that I love her." Sasuke stated, still feeling angry.

"That's one hell of a birthday." Itachi smirked, grabbing the broom and cleaning up the glass shards. On the inside, he was very, very happy. On the day he bet Sasuke would get together with Kirei, he'd realized he'd fallen in love with her. So far, all was going good. "Are you gonna talk to her?"

Finding the bandages in the drawer beside the sink, Sasuke began wrapping up his palm, nodding. "Yeah, later on tonight." He was silent, hesitant to ask a question that had been on his mind. "Itachi…"

He looked up at his brother.

"Do you think she'll forgive me?" His eyes were wide, almost like a child's.

Smiling, Itachi walked over to him, setting a hand on his head. "Oh, she'll do more than that."

Sasuke wondered what that meant.

* * *

Naruto sighed, looking at his cousin from their room. He wasn't looking through any window, instead a glass door that led to their own small outdoor onsen, big enough to fit at least 4 people.

Even though it was in their "own" backyard, Kirei didn't take any chances, her bathing suit underneath her towel, hair all clipped back. She was completely relaxed – or so it seemed – stretched out in the onsen.

Knowing her so well, he could tell she was still upset, her toes curling at certain times, as well as sighing deeply and stretching her arms out over her head.

He also sighed, opening the sliding glass door and stepping out, he smiled. "Nee-chan,"

She tilted her head back, enough so that she could see him. "Yes?"

"I'm gonna take a walk for a bit, okay?" He asked.

She sighed in content. "Sounds good." She kept her sight on him, knowing he had one more question to ask.

He did. "Are you gonna be okay by yourself?" He tried to keep his grin under wraps, knowing she wouldn't be alone for long.

"Nii-san," She smiled. "I'll be perfectly fine. There's no one here but us." She wasn't all that worried, seeing as how there were high wooden fences between the rooms, that you'd have to be a ninja to jump. To make it better, there were no ninja around. At _**all**_.

He smiled, watching how she picked her head back up, looking away from him. "Okay then. I'll see you later, nee-chan."

Hearing this, she turned around in the water, crossing her arms on the smooth stones, setting her head on them. "Don't go too far, okay, nii-san?"

"I won't." Sighing, he headed off into the room. Grabbing his phone, he flipped it open and walked out of the room. "I'm heading out, you can come talk to her. She's pretty calm." He sent out the text, wondering when Sasuke'd reply.

Although, it wasn't a text reply.

Shutting his phone, Naruto ran straight into the person he'd just texted, almost falling backward. "Holy shit, teme!"

"Sorry," The raven replied, watching how the blonde regained his balance, even putting a hand out to help him. "I'm a little jumpy."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, looking at Sasuke. "Yeah, I noticed." He wasn't fazed. "She's in the onsen at the moment."

"Thanks, dobe. I owe you one." He began, trying to look over his taller counterpart to see his blonde in the onsen.

Chuckling, Naruto shook his head. "No, you don't. And stay afterward for a little bit, I want to talk to you."

Sasuke nodded, still trying to look.

"See ya." He raised an eyebrow, wondering if he'd actually get a spoken reaction.

"Yeah." The raven nodded.

He sighed, shaking his head as he walked past the raven and out of the hotel room. _'At least now he realizes…dumbass.'_ Naruto thought, walking out with a smile.

* * *

Kirei sighed, able to see her breath turn into steam as she breathed out. She was as relaxed as she could be, legs stretched out, her toes reaching the very edge of the other smooth stones. She had her hands simply relaxed, not wanting to put them behind her head or attach them to her legs. With all the painting and work she did, they were starting to get sore at night.

Sighing, she opened her eyes, the first sight upon her eyes the clear night sky, a crescent moon giving off a very shallow light. "…I _**love**_ it out here…" She closed her eyes, taking in the scent of the wooded area, loving how it smelled oddly similar to Konoha.

Lying there, Kirei began to feel as if she was being watched. If she had to guess, it felt almost like how Sasuke watched her when she painted…

Curious as she was, she tilted her head back, suspecting to find the same thing she'd always seen; no one.

Kirei's mouth almost dropped when she found a pair of onyx eyes on her, jumping just a little, her feet coming back down as she sat up, holding the towel around her. "Holy shit, you scared me." She began, knowing he could hear her. She tried to get her heart rate back down, letting a deep breath escape her mouth quietly.

"…If it's alright…I kinda…want to talk to you." He mumbled, hesitant on stepping closer, afraid to anger her any more than she was already. At least she was speaking to him.

Kirei sighed, closing her eyes. She wasn't sure if she wanted to talk to the Uchiha, with what happened. She knew she had a right to be mad, but did she _**want**_ to be mad? Of course not. Huffing, she held her towel tight, getting up. She made sure she wouldn't slip on the smooth stones, using her hand free hand to grip the side of the stone, pulling herself up.

Sasuke watched, worried that he didn't get an answer. He wanted to talk to her, but would she talk to him? He wasn't sure, watching her get up, her rather hot skin mixing with the cool night air, steam rolling off every piece of her.

His heart beat a little faster, seeing the steam roll off. Looking how she did, it was hard to keep his eyes away.

She seemed to be walking over to the glass door, her hand reaching for the knob.

The thought that she was going to ignore him crossed his already frantic mind. "W-wai – "

She looked back at him, eyes somewhat soft, although he could see how much she hurt in them. "I'm just getting changed. I'll be right back."

Sasuke sighed, a very large sigh. She'd be back. To talk to him. Well…maybe not talk. Once again, he wasn't sure. His hands twitched, nerves shooting like lightning through his body. "O-okay."

In what felt like forever, Kirei came back, wearing a pair of black cloth capris, her two black tank tops, the Uchiha necklace he gave her and her hair set gently upon her shoulders. She sighed seeing how nervous he looked, shutting the door behind her, going right back to the onsen. Sitting down at the edge, she put her feet in. "Come on," She patted the seat beside her. "Sit."

Still a bit hesitant, he came up, sitting on her right side.

"Take off your shoes, put your feet in." She swished her feet back and forth, keeping her sight away from his. She wasn't sure why, but just sitting there with him made her heart beat just a little bit faster.

He did as she said. Oddly enough, the heat felt good, the swishing from her feet felt pretty good. Taking a glance over at her, he sighed. He wanted to talk to her _**so**_ much, wanting to find out what was on her mind, but didn't know how to start.

"I'm listening." Kirei said softly, looking down at the bubbles she made. This was the first time in a long time she felt semi-uncomfortable with the Uchiha.

The best thing he could think to do was tell the truth and apologize. "Kirei, I just want to say I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you at _**all**_ – "

"Than why did you?" She asked quietly, keeping her eyes on her feet. If she looked at him now, she might start crying.

Sasuke sighed, also looking down. "I didn't mean to. It was an accident. _**All**_ of it." He said in the softest voice he had. Sitting beside her, he felt no malice from her aura or heard anger in her voice. This made him a tad confused. "You're _**not**_ mad at me?"

She smiled a bit, knowing it took the raven a few seconds to realize things. "I can't be if it was an accident…_**right**_?" She finally looked over at him, seeing him looking down.

He nodded. "Yeah…I never meant for it to happen."

"And you're not mad at me?" She asked in the softest voice she had, setting her hands in her knees, not knowing what else to do with them.

He looked over at her, a bit shocked and still confused. "…Why would I be mad at _**you**_?"

Kirei had a smile creep on her face, feeling a blush come up in her cheeks, although she didn't know why. "Well…" She started off, she cracked her fingers, replacing them between her knees. "I broke into your house _**twice**_, made you a cake even though you don't like sweets and gave you a present that's kinda cheesy."

He chuckled. "No, it's okay…Naruto breaks in all the time…plus, I spend a lot of time over at your loft…"

She sighed in relief. Sasuke wasn't mad at her, like she thought. He actually seemed really, ecstatically happy, if that was at all possible.

"Actually, that photo helped me realize something." He started out, heart starting to beat very fast. His hands shook a bit, trying to keep himself calm.

Kirei smiled, hearing the happy tone in his voice, pushing him with her shoulder a bit. "And what was that, emo kid?"

Sasuke closed his eyes momentarily, sighing the heaviest sigh. He kept his eyes down, not wanting to look at her just yet, feeling a slight flame on his cheeks.

She noticed the sigh, wondering what was on his mind, looking over at him.

"I'm in love with you, Kirei."

If she hadn't seen his lips move, she wouldn't've believed it. She could've sworn her breathing stopped, along with the beating of her heart, the thoughts in her brain blank. She knew they didn't, because if that happened, she'd be dead, but…she wasn't. She was alive, sitting right next to the raven.

Hearing her silence, Sasuke wasn't sure what to make of it, taking a small glance over at her. She was in shock, blue eyes wide, staring at him. Of _**course**_ she'd be shocked. "Yeah…I was kinda shocked when I realized it too…" He mumbled, not sure of what else to say. He wanted to reach over to her, brush her hair out of her eyes like he always did, but would she let him?

Kirei was still too shocked to say anything, eyes finally finding some movement, blinking and looking down at the water. She realized her feet had stopped swishing, the water reflecting the sky.

At her further silence, Sasuke looked down at the water, feeling his heart drop, releasing a heavy sigh. He knew this would happen. He was absolutely in love with her, yet she only found him as a friend. That was just his luck; the absolute _**worst**_.

Looking over at his sigh, she saw that look. Better yet, she knew that look. The look someone had when they were rejected from the person they loved most, the person they needed most. That was the last thing Kirei wanted him to feel. "No, please, don't look like that." She begged, reaching her hands out and setting them on his hands, shaking her head slightly. "It's not that I _**don't**_ like you, Sasuke," She sighed, unable to get his sight connected with hers, even when she leaned in to get it. "I do like you. A _**lot**_."

Sasuke felt his heart come up a bit.

She smiled when his sight got just a bit closer. "…It's just…I get scared in relationships." Kirei's heart went just a bit faster, having never told anyone about her closest secret.

He looked over a bit more.

She sighed heavily, drawing her sight away. "And I have such a good friendship with you… That I don't want to ruin it because I'm scared or nervous, cause," She looked over, finding the Uchiha's sight latched onto her. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Sasuke felt oddly relieved hearing this, smiling just a bit. Maybe it wasn't love for her, not _**yet**_, at least. Nonetheless, she still cared for him, which was more than any other person had. Silent, he wasn't sure what to say.

"I mean, yeah," She began again, looking away from him, taking her hands with her. "I really like you…and other than getting scared, I guess you could say I'm a little…confused. I don't know the difference between like and love…" Her voice faded off. She felt stupid saying it, but it was true. She wasn't sure how she felt about Sasuke.

Sasuke almost figured this, remembering the relationship she had with her brother. Being so connected like that, it was easy to mistake like for love. The things she was used to doing were things a couple did, so for her, the line between like and love was obscured. "…I can help you with that…" He said softly. "I don't want to try to force you to like me…but I want to make you happy." His words were true, although he did want her to love him back. It was just natural to want her love in return.

Kirei's brain struck a thought, hearing this. "We can make a deal." She said firmly, looking up at the sky.

"A deal?" He looked over, eyebrow arched, that small smile still on his face. What a strange time to make deal.

She nodded. "Yes." She loved making deals. "I'm confused, you know that. You're not, I know that. We can make a deal to help me." She explained. "I know that I do like you," She sighed, feeling as if her heart would explode. Why was this so hard to say? "…so…why can't we give it a shot?"

Seeing those blue eyes and the slight smile on her face, Sasuke couldn't help but agree, smiling right back. "Okay." He felt his heart rising, a tinge of hope in his chest.

"The deal is 3 dates, not calling each other girlfriend or boyfriend." She explained further, feeling her face flush. It was something she'd always had on her mind. She hated the way people dated today.

If you agreed to go out with someone, you were automatically their boyfriend or girlfriend. What ever happened to regular dating? Where a guy and girl would go out and if they liked each other, they would then agree to be boyfriend and girlfriend and date even more. What all happened to that?  
"Go on." He was starting to like this deal. It had hope for them in it.

"After those 3 dates, we can make a decision to keep dating…or break it off." She finished, looking away from the raven, still blushing. Even she had to admit, it seemed really stupid. She would be surprised if he even agreed to it.

Smiling because now he had a chance with the girl he loved most, Sasuke leaned over, nuzzling her neck happily. "Okay." He wrapped both of his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him. "3 dates. I'll help you figure out your feelings, trying not to call you my girlfriend and I get to pick the first date."

Kirei giggled, his bangs and breath tickling her skin. Because of this, she _**almost**_ missed his last statement. "Nut-uh."

"But you made the deal." He whined just a bit, loving how soft her skin was.

She sighed, rolling her eyes, her face getting redder. "…Okay…_**fine**_…." She couldn't help but smile, hearing how happy he was. It was rather cute, seeing him like this.

It felt to sweet silence once more, Sasuke happy beyond words, Kirei happy, but also a bit nervous.

"Um…Sasuke?"

Hearing the nervous tone in her voice, Sasuke was somehow able to remove his face from her neck, seeing how she fidgeted and kept her sight from his.

Seeing him look over at her from the corner of her eye, she sighed. "Since we're "dating"…" She rolled her lips. "…is there any way I should…" She sighed again. This was harder than she thought.

"No." Sasuke said firmly, knowing what she was going to ask. Using the grip around her waist, he pulled her closer, letting her head rest on his shoulder so that she was able to hear his heartbeat. He knew all too well that she loved it. "Dog-breath really did a number on you, didn't he?"

Kirei didn't understand what he meant, but was happy. Once more, she got to hear the Uchiha's heartbeat; The beat she loved to hear.

"You don't have to act different in any way at all. Just act how you always act." He told her, his left hand lacing with both of hers, rubbing his thumb on her soft skin. "That's one thing I love about you."

Kirei smiled, a very heavy weight lifted off her heart. When she had dated Kiba, she always worried about how she acted with him, since he was the type of guy who wanted his girl to be draped all over him, like she was a lovesick puppy. She never felt that way around Sasuke, always being herself because he allowed her to. He never forced her to like him and hopefully, he wouldn't force her to do anything she wasn't comfortable with.

She yawned, his heartbeat driving her into sleep. She had to admit, she really _**did**_ like the raven. If she had to measure it, she liked him more than she liked anyone before…maybe even Daisuke. Could _**that**_ be love?

She wasn't sure.

Sasuke on the other hand, was completely sure, having the blonde in his arms. This is where he loved her to be, happy and content with him. Looking down at her, he had a sure feeling that she did love him back, it was almost obvious in the way she acted around him and no one else, but she had to come to realize it, just like he had earlier in the day.

If it was true, and she did love him, he would wait forever and a day for her to realize.

"Does your heart always beat this fast?" Kirei looked up, seeing the Uchiha looking back at her, his onyx eyes the softest and happiest she'd ever seen them.

He gently kissed her forehead, smiling. "Only with you."

She giggled a bit, snuggling right back into his chest. "Mmkay." She yawned once more, feeling so sleepy that she couldn't keep her eyes open.

When her hand movements ceased, her breathing becoming even and deep, Sasuke gently looked down at her, seeing her asleep. He sighed happily. "I should've expected that." Pulling his and her feet from the onsen, he wrapped his left arm underneath her knees, right arm around her back. "Time for bed, Princess." He whispered softly into her ear, heading for the door.

After using two fingers to open it without dropping her, he carried her inside, figuring the bed that had a cute little wolf stuffed animal on it was hers. He smiled when he recognized the stuffed animal as the one he "won" for her at Four Winds. "I can't believe you still have that thing…" He mumbled, gently setting her on the bed.

Of course, Kirei didn't hear, out like a light. After the day she had, who could blame her?

He still smiled, pulling the blanket up to her shoulders, always seeing her pull them up that far, tucking her in while brushing some of her bangs from her face. "Good night, Princess." He gently kissed her forehead once more, full knowing that if Naruto showed up, he couldn't get in trouble.

* * *

It was another 15 minute before Naruto came back, seeing his cousin asleep on her bed, Sasuke sitting next to it, watching her sleep.

It looked as if he could fall asleep as well, eyes low.

"Hey." Naruto said softly, coming up beside the raven. "I should've known she'd fall asleep. She always does with you."

Sasuke shook whatever sleep he had away, getting up. He knew the blonde wanted to talk, so they'd hafta move outside.

Confusing the raven, Naruto pulled up a chair. "Nah, stay here. She can't hear anything when she's out."

"You sure?"

He nodded. "Oh yeah. I could scream as loud as I want and she wouldn't wake up. It's touch that wakes her up." Naruto knew this for a fact, having tested his theory once before.

"…So _**that's**_ how it works." Sasuke chuckled, shaking his head at Kirei.

He shared the chuckle. "Yeah…how'd the talk go?" He already knew the answer the minute he walked in the door. The raven wouldn't've been there had the talk gone bad. He just wanted to hear it from Sasuke himself.

"Great." Was Sasuke's one word answer as he smiled. "We made a deal."

"Another one?" Naruto asked with an eyebrow raised. Why did it seem that the two were always making deals?

"Yeah," He nodded. "She's confused about how she feels…so, we're gonna go on 3 dates. Then we'll decide."

Naruto scoffed, making Sasuke look over. "I could've told you that." At the confused look from him, he continued, keeping his eyes connected with onyx eyes. "I know for a fact that she does love you, okay?"

Shocked as he was, Sasuke nodded.

"She just doesn't realize it. Plus, I could understand why she's so hesitant. She gets scared when she's touched." He explained. "Who could blame her? Daisuke always held her hand and such…and look what happened to him."

Thinking about it, Naruto was right. He looked over at her, trying to figure out what was on her mind. Was she scared to date him because she was afraid _**for**_ him? If this was true, than she did love him. Because that would mean that she didn't want him to get hurt. "…Yeah."

"So I suggest that you talk to her about it. Or at least get her to – "

Sasuke nodded, already knowing what was on the blonde's mind. "Yeah, I'm planning it all right now."

Smiling, Naruto's voice took a much sterner tone. "Now, just because I'm telling you all this and helping you out doesn't mean that if you hurt her, I'm just gonna forgive you. I'll kick your ass to the moon and back."

He knew how he felt. "That's the last thing I'd _**ever**_ want to do."

"Good." He got up, putting his chair back from where he got it, pointing to the door. "Now get out, I have a vacation to enjoy."

Sasuke opened his mouth to protest.

"You'll get to see your "girlfriend" when we get back in a few days." He answered, still pointing.

Sasuke snarled, grumbling as he put his chair back. "Fine." He glared at the blonde the whole time. Before he left, he went over to Kirei, putting the wolf stuffed animal into her arms.

It took a minute, but she reacted, holding it tightly.

"Love you, Princess."

Naruto shook his head as Sasuke vanished. "You're lucky, nee-chan." He said, taking off his jacket. "He's a good guy. A little emo, but good." He gently tousled her hair and smiled, heading to bed.

It'd been way too long a night.

* * *

"Ramada-sama," The brunette asked, sitting in the tree with the leader next to him. "They're not letting her alone anymore. We need to change the plan." He advised, watching his black haired partner.

"No," The man, "Ramada" spoke. "We can use this to our advantage. When the time is right, we can use this for a nice trade off…" He began formulating a few plans, factoring in this new revelation in the girl's life. "Come, let's go back to base."

"FINALLY." He said, vanishing just after his leader.


	13. Date

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**_

The Actors

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_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD

_Notes:_ Busy, busy, busy. That's where I've been. I have been balancing (or trying to, seeing as how I suck at balancing things) school work with rewriting the plot for this story. I had originally planned it to be 20 chapters, but lucky you guys, it was reworked for 25! Yay! Haha, now I just have to write them. --. Expect another update in the next few days, seeing as how I'm on chapter 18 already. I will also be taking my Senior pictures (for those who don't know, senior pictures are pictures taken during your senior year of High School that are supposed to "represent" you) tomorrow (hopefully), so please hope it all goes well for me. And if you ask nicely, I might send some out :D Thanks for reading, as always!!

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!

* * *

_Chapter 13 – Date_

* * *

Kirei sighed, happy as could be, putting away a few dishes she'd just finished drying. At the moment, she was home alone, getting ready for a relaxing night at home in her pjs.

It had been a week since her deal with Sasuke, which she knew he would've already started since he had first date, but was called away on a 4-day mission.

This hadn't upset Kirei, but made her nervous. She knew as soon as he'd get back, he spring the first date. The problem?

She didn't know _**when**_ he was getting back.

It wasn't that going on a date that was the problem, it was her incessant nervousness that was the problem. She didn't understand why she was always so nervous around guys who weren't related to her. Her heart raced, her thoughts flew like a bird and the worst, she'd begin to shake like she was having shivers.

What confused her more was that she only got this way when she dated guys, not when they were friends. She had a thought for this.

The reasoning she came up with was that when they were friends, a guy wasn't allowed to talk to her or touch her in any way that was provocative, while a boyfriend was allowed to do those things, with or without her permission.

That's what made her nervous. She'd never been with a guy long enough to know what to do or how to act around them.

She sighed heavily, putting a pair of bowls away. "Don't you…forget about me…" She sang softly, loving the song from one of her favorite movies, "The Breakfast Club."

About to sing the next part, she stopped, setting down the towel in her hands. She thought she'd heard a knock at her door and stepped out of her kitchen, looking at her front door.

True to her hearing, there was a knock at her door.

She had a feeling it was Sasuke, going over and opening the door. "Hey." She smiled, seeing Sasuke standing at her doorway. She should've known.

"Hi." He replied, holding a bag on his arm. "I missed you." He began, stepping inside as she opened the door further, allowing him in.

"Same here." She answered, feeling butterflies in her stomach. Seeing him take off his shoes, she shut the door, smiling out of confusion. "What are you doing here?"

He smiled back. "First date."

Kirei's jaw dropped. "What?! But, Sasuke, I'm not even dressed to go out!"

Still smiling, he expected this reaction. "We're not going out." He said calmly, holding up the bag. "Movie night."

That devil. That _**little**_ devil. Wrinkling her nose, she realized she wasn't getting out of this, no matter what excuse she had. "Can I finish my dishes?"

He also figured that she'd be in the middle of something, nodding. "Of course." Setting down his bag, he silently followed her into the kitchen, watching her dry the few plates on the counter.

Knowing he was watching her – because he always did – she continued her soft singing. "Don't, don't, don't, don't, Don't you…forget about me…"

Sasuke smirked. He knew that song. " Don't you try to pretend, It's my feeling we'll win in the end, I won't harm you or touch your defenses, Vanity and security…" He didn't sing it, rather to speak along with the beat. Sasuke didn't sing.

She giggled a bit. "Wrong verse." Grabbing the stack of plates she'd just finished, she began to put them away, opening the cabinet above her head.

"Let me do that before you kill yourself." Sasuke began, taking the plates from her hands, putting them in the cabinet she'd opened.

She huffed, still smiling. "I can put away dishes by myself."

"And that was the last of them?" He asked excitedly, shutting the cabinet door, seeing her set the towel on the back of a chair.

She sighed, shutting her eyes. "Yes…" Before she knew it, she was being pulled into the living room by a very excited raven. "Excited, aren't we?"

He nodded. "You should be too. I bought your favorite movie."

Kirei pulled on his hand, making him stop and turn around. Her eyes were alive, a smile coming on her face. "…You mean…?"

He smiled. "Platinum edition." Not a second passed before he was glomped, almost falling backward from the force.

She squealed, hugging him.

"And it's yours to keep." He added, knowing that although Beauty and the Beast was her favorite movie of all time, she didn't have a copy of it.

Instead of squealing, she screamed, yanking him to the couch and pulling him down next to her. She was so excited she couldn't sit still, having not seen her favorite movie in a few months.

Sasuke chuckled, happy to see her so thrilled. At least she didn't seem nervous, which was a good step forward.

That was his plan all along. For the first date, he'd plan something they'd always done together to make her more comfortable with him, that way they could go out without her getting nervous. He'd do whatever it'd take to make her comfortable with him.

Hearing her whines and begs, he started the movie, seeing how engrossed she was in it.

Kirei was engrossed. She loved this movie to bits, knew every word and lyric. But as she sat, sighing, she felt that nervous feeling creep into her mind. It was telling her to grab a pillow and curl around it or move away from him. It even made her heart start to race, taking a glance at the Uchiha who seemed to be watching the movie.

Of course, he was. He was also conscious of the fact that she glanced over at him. She was probably getting nervous around now.

Kirei jumped a bit, feeling a hand on top of hers, almost pulling hers away. Damn these nerves of hers!

Sasuke sighed. "It's not like I'm going to _**jump**_ you, Princess." He used her nickname, trying to keep her as calm as possible.

"I know that…" She mumbled, looking away.

Taking his hand from hers, he snaked it around her waist, pulling her with him as he fell back on the couch. This way, she was lying directly on top of him, his chest her pillow.

She thought her heart was going to explode from beating so fast.

Keeping his hand on her waist, he rubbed his thumb back and forth, letting her curl up in her usual manner. With his other hand, he pulled her chin up, making her look him directly in the eyes.

She didn't try to look away, those eyes mesmerizing hers and vice versa.

"I know your boundaries, I won't cross them."

"_**Ever**_?"

He smiled a bit, kissing her forehead. "Only if you say so."

"_**Promise**_?"

He nodded. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

Kirei sighed happily, the nervous feeling in her chest and mind starting to go away. He had never once broken a promise with her, so she knew he wasn't faking. She'd even fallen asleep with him before and he'd never done anything to her. Maybe a hair tousle and a kiss on the head here and there, but she could live through that. "Don't hope to die."

He smiled, feeling her sigh.

Feeling happy and safe, Kirei looked to the movie, starting to sing along with it. She couldn't help it, in love with the movie that much.

Sasuke didn't mind at all, eyes on the movie as well. He loved having her right there with him, able to feel the movement of her stomach, lungs and diaphragm as she sang, hearing the sound that came from her mouth. What he didn't expect was the sudden ice feeling against his leg, realizing that this feeling was coming from Kirei's toes. "Holy shit, your feet are _**freezing**_."

She giggled, moving them away. "Yeah…they always are. It's cause I'm too thin too retain heat."

"You can share mine."

Kirei could feel herself blush just a bit, snuggling closer. She liked heat. It was…well, hot.

Reaching up, Sasuke pulled down the blanket, unfolding it the best he could with a body on top of him, setting it overtop Kirei and himself. "Better?"

She snuggled more, moving here and there, wrapping her feet solely in the blanket, happy and content. "It couldn't get any better." She sighed, able to clearly hear his heartbeat. "You're my favorite pillow ever."

He chuckled, looking down at her with a smile. "Am I?"

She nodded, smiling as well. "Definitely." Once again, Kirei began singing along with the dvd, happy that she got to see her favorite movie with her favorite pillow.

Sasuke kissed the top of her head, happy that he was able to help her with just a few words.

Who knows, maybe on the next date she'd call him her boyfriend!

Well, Sasuke could dream.

* * *

Kirei drew in a deep breath, sighing as she began to wake up. Keeping her eyes closed, it didn't take her long to realize that her mattress was moving.

Actually, her mattress was _**breathing**_.

A slight smile crossed her lips, remembering that she wasn't on a mattress at all. She was on Sasuke, whom she used as a giant pillow the night before. She had to admit, he was comfortable, warm as hell and good god, he smelled great.

As her thoughts became clearer, she also realized there was something on her waist. With a small amount of movement, Kirei realized it was Sasuke's hand, set gently on her shirt. As soon as she moved, his thumb began caressing her side.

"So you _**are**_ awake." He spoke softly, his thumb moving in a continuous motion, other hand coming up and pushing back some of her bangs.

Kirei snuggled into his chest as much as she could, shaking her head. "No I'm not." She wanted to go back to sleep, to remain in this spot for, not forever, but a very long time.

Sasuke chuckled, watching her with heavy eyelids. "You sleep okay?" He asked, yawning a bit.

Oo, she liked that, feeling him breathe underneath her. "Mm-hmm." She answered, eyes closed. "How long have you been up?"

"Not long, Princess. Just watching you sleep."

For an odd reason, Kirei smiled as much as she could. "Stalker. But I'm gonna go back to sleep."

He chuckled once more. "We're dating. I'm _**allowed**_ to watch you." He stated, smiling. "Too bad you're going back to sleep, I was gonna make breakfast."

A loud grumble went through Kirei's stomach at the mention of food.

Sasuke anticipated that.

"No. I want to stay right here." She looked up at him, blue eyes large and full of color.

That cute face…Sasuke found it hard to resist, finally finding his words, looking away from her. "I was gonna make chocolate chip waffles too…"

In an instant, Kirei was up off the couch, trying to pull him off the couch. She didn't say anything, just a bright smile on her face.

Frowning at the sudden disappearance of warmth, he then smiled, happy to let Kirei drag him into the kitchen. Hell, as long as it was with her, he'd let her drag him _**anywhere**_.

* * *

"So, Leader Ramada, sir," The redhead asked, looking at his nine comrades around him. "What's the plan now?"

Their leader Ramada, the black haired man, who wore a purple mask sighed, sitting at the head of the table. "The girl I've had my eye on has started a relationship. From what I've seen, it's going pretty well. We'll have to use any means necessary to get them apart."

The others around him nodded; 8 males, 1 female.

"How do you propose we do this?" A very tall, lanky man asked, his hair as white as snow. His strikingly green eyes flickered to the purple masked man.

"Simple. Let the two of them grow close," He used a few chess pieces to represent the people within his plan, pushing them close together. "and separate them with someone equally important to them. We're using all of this to our – " He stopped mid-sentence, hand starting to shake. "H-help me, please – "

"I've got it," The woman, a slender blonde said, pulling a medicine bottle from her mock Akatsuki cloak. She took out two pills and set them on the Leader's steady hand, letting him dry swallow them.

He nodded to her, his shaky hand steadying. "This will be our plan. Set yourselves around Konoha, do not leave without your partner and strike whenever you have the chance."

They all nodded in understand, vanishing away.

The trap was set.

Now, it just had to be activated.

* * *

Instead of leaving her side, Sasuke stayed with Kirei, finding out that she was going out to the market for part of the day. He wanted to go too, knowing that she'd come home and then work on something artsy.

So far, they'd picked up paint and clay, Kirei only having to get one more thing in a special art shop. She needed wire, just in case the clay couldn't stay together.

She sighed, walking out of the shop, thankful to have her wire.

"Oh, so sorry, miss." Someone said, bumping into Kirei.

She immediately recognized the silky voice, long black hair and white face of Orochimaru, one of the villains in the show. "_**Orochimaru**_?" She asked, facing the very feminine snake man.

Hearing his name, he turned, looking at the blonde who mirrored the Yondaime and his son. "Yes?"

Kirei laughed a bit, realizing she'd forgot to introduce herself. "You might not know me, but I'm Naruto's – "

"Cousin?" He asked. He'd heard a rumor or two.

She smiled, nodding. "Yeah. I just kinda recognized you from the show."

"It's good to have a fan." He answered, eyes watching her like a snake's would. _'She's __**perfect**__…'_

Kirei ruffled her brows, never once mentioning that she was a fan of his and let it slide. Just like she had, she noticed the bags he had in his hands. "You work in art?"

He waited a second, looking back and forth between the bags. "Oh yes, very much so. I'm actually working on a project in the park." He smiled, eyes never once wavering from her.

Kirei found that a bit creepy, his tattoos making it seem like he was staring her down. "Really?"

"Do you want to see it?" He asked, hoping she'd take the bait.

Kirei sighed. "Well, I'm actually waiting for someone," Sasuke had taken a quick run to get something to drink, telling her to stay there until he got back. "So, I probably shouldn't go too far…"

Orochimaru still smiled. "That's alright, it's not far. It'll only take a few minutes." He insisted, walking beside her, reaching a hand out to her lower back, trying to lead her along.

She sighed, looking around.

No Sasuke.

"Okay then."

"_**Excellent**_."

* * *

After getting the drink that nearly cost him his foot, Sasuke walked back to the shop, happy to be with Kirei for the day. Making it even better, she'd be doing some work with clay later, which he'd be able to watch and maybe even get to muddle around in it too.

Arriving at said shop, Sasuke almost dropped his drink, staring at who Kirei was walking with.

_**Orochimaru**_.

Just seeing the side of the snake-bastards face made Sasuke shiver. He hadn't lied to Kirei when he said that he'd been scared of snakes ever since he was a kid.

It was _**because**_ of Orochimaru that he was scared of snakes.

Even with this fear, he wouldn't let that bastard get Kirei. Not on Sasuke's life.

He dropped his drink, reaching out and wrapping both arms around her protectively, one around her waist, the other draped around her chest, his hand on her shoulder. "Fuck off, Orochimaru." He pulled her back a few steps, keeping his grip tight, chin on her shoulder.

"I see you haven't changed, Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru spoke, his voice like snakes slithering across leaves, turning to face the raven with a smile. _'Damn brat…'_

Kirei was confused. "Sasuke, what are you – "

"Hush." He whispered softly in her ear. Hating the sight of Orochimaru because it reminded him of snakes, he glared at the bastard. "She's mine. Go back to that burrow you slithered out of."

"Such hate, Sasuke-kun." He smiled his eyes never flickering. "By the way, how is that pink haired friend of yours?" He tilted his head, smile getting larger.

Sasuke glared harder, a growl coming into his throat. "Bastard…Leave her alone, leave them all alone."

Kirei didn't understand what was going on, but feeling Sasuke's shaking hands, the shivers going through him, knew not to argue with him. She put her hands right with his, stepping back into him. "I changed my mind. Leave."

Orochimaru frowned, "Aw, too bad." Which then turned into a very creepy smile. "We would've had so much fun together." He laughed, vanishing in smoke.

Sasuke sighed deeply, thankful that he'd gotten to Kirei just in time.

"Sasuke, what's going on?" Kirei asked, as the raven barely let her go, looking around the area.

He shook his head. "Not here." He continued to look around, leading her along. "Someplace…secluded."

She watched him, wondering what was on his mind to make him act like this.

Was Orochimaru _**that**_ bad?

* * *

Sasuke had found his secluded spot somewhere in the park. Only the two of them were on the grassy hill, a few trees shading part of the hill.

They were sitting in the shaded section, Sasuke still not letting Kirei go. He wouldn't with the knowledge that Orochimaru was still around.

"Sasuke, why are you doing all this?" Kirei asked, letting Sasuke sit her down, him sitting behind her, arms around her waist. She was almost literally wrapped up in the Uchiha.

He sighed, setting his chin on her shoulder. "Promise me you won't ever go anywhere with him."

Surprised as she was, Kirei nodded. "I promise you, now what is this about?"

He stared out beyond her shoulder, his hands lacing with hers. "Orochimaru was the reason I became scared of snakes as a kid."

Kirei listened silently, lying back on him. If he started out like this, it meant that he was completely serious.

"There's also a very good reason we all stay away from him, too." He spoke softly, letting his fingers gently graze hers.

She wondered where this was going, looking over at him. If she had to guess, he looked relieved.

"He kidnapped Karin once." He remembered the details like it had just happened. "He kept her at this hideout against her will and did some things to her."

Kirei was a little scared to ask, but she did. "What things?"

He shook his head. "I'm not going to say because I don't want to frighten you." His fingers still grazed hers, almost as if he was massaging them. "We found her after a few days…she was…hysterical. In the bad way, not good. She still hasn't told us all of what he did to her and because of that, Minato didn't have enough evidence to ban him from filming and from Konoha itself. If you mention Orochimaru's name to Karin, she goes into a panic attack."

Kirei took a deep breath, looking out into the hill. "I'll keep that in mind. But," She added, wondering further. "what did he mean about "your pinked haired friend"?"

This time, Sasuke closed his eyes, gripping her hands. "He was talking about Sakura."

She looked over at him, pulling away just a tiny bit, trying to look at him better. "Sakura? _**Haruno**_ Sakura?"

"Yes." He nodded solemnly. "I was dating her when she disappeared."

Leaning back against him, she had a feeling she knew how he felt.

"Thankfully," He continued. "We got to her before anything happened and from this, Minato banned him from the grounds. He and the director cut him from the show, too. That's why he's not there and also why they killed him off in the show."

She understood his explanation, but knew it was deeper than that. Sasuke didn't shiver and take her somewhere secluded just for an explanation. "It's deeper than that. Tell me." She commanded softly. "I can't help if you won't tell."

He sighed, pulling her closer to him. She was right, it was much deeper than just that. "I was scared." He admitted, closing his eyes. "When I found out she was missing, I felt like I couldn't breathe. It was my fault she was kidnapped…I wasn't strong enough to keep her safe."

Hearing this, Kirei knew what he was thinking now. Since she'd almost walked off with the man who kidnapped his previous girlfriend, he was worried that he wouldn't be able to protect _**her**_ too. "Sasuke…" She started off, trying to disentangle herself from him with no luck. "_**Sasuke**_."

Eyes closed, he didn't want to let her go. If he had a choice in the matter, he'd keep her with him at all times. Unfortunately for him, Kirei had free will.

Grip loosening, Kirei smiled, turning around in his arms, smiling as she ran her hands through his hair, kissing his forehead. "I won't ever go with anyone I don't trust, okay?" She looked down, seeing relieved black eyes connected with hers, a small smile on his face.

Holding her steady, Sasuke leaned backward until he was flat on his back, her hair curtaining around the both of them. "Okay."

She laughed as he fell backward, hands falling from his hair and to his neck, lying on top of the Uchiha. "You need to stop thinking that _**you're**_ causing everything, you emo." She said, her face only inches from his, her hands slipping back from his neck to rest on his chest, making it easier to hold herself up.

"I can't help it." He replied, taking in all of the color of her eyes, loving the feel of her touch on both his clothing and his skin. "I have bad luck."

Touching her nose on his, she smiled. "I guess I'll hafta change your mind about that, won't I?" She spoke with a smooth voice, sending a shiver down his spine.

He smiled right back. "You can try."

"Oh, I think I'll do just fine." Kirei bit her lip, still having the remnants of a smile, her eyes staring softly into his. She could feel a slight blush rise into her cheeks, eyes not wavering.

His didn't waver either, although he could see the blush. He could tell she was going to ask something, but was a little surprised as to what it was.

"…Can I…" She started off, a bit nervous, her heart beginning to race. She knew he'd let her, but it was the nervousness of never having kissed someone before that made her ask. "Kiss you?"

He smiled, knowing that she was getting more comfortable with him. It wasn't that she was making sure it was okay with him, she was making sure it was okay with her. "Of course you can, Princess."

It wasn't anything big, just a small peck on the lips, but to Kirei it was a lot.

He knew this, not expecting anything more than that. "I think we should head home."

Kirei laughed a bit, stretching her arms back around his neck, lying down on him. "It's _**my**_ home, not yours, silly."

"I might as well call it home, I'm there all the time." He answered, watching her with a smile.

"Not that I mind." Kirei added, smiling as she sighed, getting up as much as he'd let her.

He kept her close at first, reaching up and kissing her forehead. "I love you." He let her go, getting up just after she did.

Grabbing his hand and holding it, Kirei smiled. She couldn't say that yet, not feeling comfortable. "I really like you."

Smiling, he walked with her, heading home.

* * *

"So _**this**_ is a potter's wheel?" Sasuke asked, sitting directly behind Kirei as she sat in the middle of her studio on a stool, a giant plate-like wheel in front of her.

She nodded. "Yep." The wheel was a bit bigger than a large eating plate would be, the clay in the center of it. "When you spin the clay, you're able to form it into nearly anything." She answered, letting him sit behind her and watching, chin on her shoulder, arms around her waist.

She usually liked him to be beside her, but as long as he didn't hinder her movements, she had allowed him to sit behind her.

"And how do you get it to spin?" He asked, watching as she rolled a small table over, a few instruments on it.

She chuckled, moving her foot, as well as his, seeing as how his feet were set on top of hers, showing the small pedal. "The pedal controls the spin. The harder you press the faster it goes." She explained, pressing her foot back on the pedal, making the circular board spin.

He watched in silence, listening to the music that was playing and watching Kirei slip into her "Art Trance", as he named it. Although this trance was a little different. He noticed this right off, seeing how she worked with her hands.

In painting, she only had to move one hand and she barely moved her right hand, the brush doing the work.

In clay, he got to see her work with both hands, all fingers, wrists in perfect motion. Even she moved with her hands, leaning and pulling back to view and work more. His mind began to wonder how soft her hands felt, how good they'd feel against his skin, working like that.

"Sasuke?" She asked, her eyes perfectly focused on the clay that started to look something like a bowl.

"Hm?" He answered, focused on her hands.

"Would you like to try using the pedal?" She asked. He always did a little dibble dabbling in her work, so she thought she'd let him try.

Smiling, he nodded.

"Okay," She said, lifting up the base of her foot, toes still applying the same amount of pressure, letting Sasuke's foot slip underneath hers. "Keep constant pressure. Don't let it go too fast or too slow, okay?"

"Does it matter if it wavers just a little bit?" He asked, her foot slipping the whole way off and sitting on one of the bars on her stool.

She shook her head. "No, just make sure it doesn't go too much." She kept working, her hands calm and smooth.

Still a bit nervous, he calmed at her answer. "Okay." He smiled, still watching her and keeping an eye on his foot and the pressure on the pedal. He wasn't sure why it was crucial to keep constant pressure, probably because it would screw her up in making the pot.

He sighed, hands resting on her waist, thumbs moving up and down in a repetitive motion. Those hands of hers…even those eyes, the calmest he'd seen them. Without even moving her eyes, she grabbed a tool, the other hand still working, using the tool to make a small pattern upon the small dish.

Sasuke was quickly drawn from this thoughts, hearing a sudden cry of pain from Kirei.

"Ow!" She cried, quickly getting up and staggering to her right, pushing Sasuke's leg out of her way.

His foot immediately left the pedal, getting up to help her. "What happened?" He asked in alarm, looking at her as she tried to leave the room. He helped her by wrapping an arm around her waist, walking across the hall to a door down; the bathroom.

"You zoned." She managed to say, holding onto the sink as she fumbled for a towel, eyes closed.

He handed it to her, seeing her reach for it. As she dabbed her right eye, jaw and clavicle, he realized what happened.

He'd zoned out, thinking about her, the pressure on the pedal rising, sending the table into a wild spin. Some of the clay had parted off, hitting Kirei right in the face. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," She smiled a bit, tears from the stinging pain rolling down her cheeks. "It was an accident."

He shook his head, making her sit and taking the towel into his hand, dabbing the clay off gently. "You _**should've**_ told me."

She flinched at every touch, the three spots turning red rather quickly. "It's alright." She answered. "It's not like I haven't been hurt before."

He chuckled a bit, starting to push away the clay with his thumb, trying to as gently as he could. "Not by me."

"There's a first for everything!" She answered, smiling and yet flinching when he pressed too hard.

He shook his head, standing and tousling her hair.

As always, she cringed and giggled. "I think I'm gonna clean up," She yawned, taking a minute before standing. "and then head to bed."

Walking out of the bathroom with her, he followed her back into the studio. "I'm still really sorry."

She sighed picking up the stool she'd knocked over at her quick exit. "You really _**do**_ have bad luck, don't you?"

He nodded, helping her move the table to the other side of the room, watching her place the clay in a bag and set it in a cabinet. "Yeah."

She shut off the music, still flinching from the now visible red marks when she grazed them with her fingers. "I swear I'm going to fix that."

"Uh-huh," He answered, crouching in front of her, the room the cleanest it was going to get. "Get on."

She blinked at him. Oh yes. He liked to do this occasionally, pick her up randomly and carry her. "Alright." She smiled, letting him pick her up. She enjoyed it, able to start sleeping before she even got to her bed. Plus, Sasuke was the one who carried her. How could it get better than that?

Even with all the mishaps and scares, today was a rather awesome day.

"I get to pick the next date." Kirei mumbled into Sasuke's ear, eyes closed, arms around his neck loosely.

Sasuke sighed, both out of fear and excitement, smirking as well.

"And I've already got it planned."

His smirk faded, looking over at her as he began to head upstairs. He was going to ask, but found her eyes closed.

Well, he could wait.

He could _**try**_ to wait.


	14. Paint

* * *

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD Each of the songs are owned by their...owners? "Shake it" - Metro Station, "Your Guardian Angel) - Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and "Next Contestant" - Nickelback. :D

_Notes: _As previously stated, I have removed warnings because I think you know what you're getting into by now.

Life has been...life. I've been a bit busy here and there, but mostly just dealing with school work while keeping up with writing. I had originally planned to upload this Sunday, but as you can see, it was delayed to today. As always, if there are questions, I will be happy to answer. :D As always, thanks for reading and I hope you like it!

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!

* * *

_Chapter 14 – Paint_

* * *

Kirei sighed, sitting by her usual tree at the film grounds. Her knees pulled up, sketchbook set upon them, pencil in hand, she was very content.

She had finished high school, reveling in summer break before her college classes began in the fall.

Stretching her arms above her head and leaning back on the tree, she looked up at the camera crews, to the filming. Smiling, she found Hinata and Sakura walking over to her.

"Hey, love." Hinata smiled, sitting down next to Kirei.

Sakura smiled as well, sitting on Kirei's other side. "Hey."

"Hey guys," Kirei began, shutting her sketchbook, setting it aside. "What's up?"

"Well," Sakura began, flipping some of her hair out of her eyes, the wind blowing it right back. "We have a question to ask you."

Kirei had a looming suspicion it was about her and Sasuke. "Uh, sure."

Hinata smiled a sly smile. "We think there's something going on between you and emo kid over there." She pointed to Sasuke, who, even as he filmed, noticed the three together.

Kirei couldn't hold back her smile, able to feel herself blush. "Well…"

"Oh, how cute!!" Sakura cried with a smile.

Hinata chuckled at Kirei's reaction, remembering it was almost the same as when Ino confronted her about liking Naruto. "It's nothing to blush about, sweetie."

"Yeah," Sakura bumped her lightly, also smiling. "He's a good guy."

Kirei nodded, watching them film. "Yeah, I know."

The two girls shot a glance to each other, smiles wide.

"You really like him, don't you?" Sakura asked, seeing the look on Kirei's face. It wasn't hard to guess, but she wanted to be sure.

The blonde sighed, her smile fading just a bit. "I know I like him, but – "

"It's not love yet." Hinata finished, nodding. "That's okay. It will be soon enough."

Kirei looked between the two of them, both nodding. "You're sure?"

They continued to nod.

Another sigh came from the blonde. "I just feel bad…cause he always says it," She waited for one of them to interrupt her. When neither did, she continued, looking away from the filming. "and I can't say it yet. I'm getting better at all this stuff, sure, but – "

Hinata reached over to her friend, hugging her. "It'll all come in time, sweetie."

Sakura also gave her a hug, squeezing tight. "Yeah, you can't expect it to happen overnight."

Sitting back against her tree, she smiled. It was true that she felt that way, she'd felt like that for a while, ever since their last date a week ago. She always felt bad when he took care of her, saying, "I love you," and everything, when she couldn't even say those three words back.

He understood this more than she knew, having previously asked Sakura and Hinata to cheer her up, since he couldn't do it. He'd also asked them to find out what Kirei was planning and maybe even when she was planning it.

Watching Naruto run from an angered Kiba, the girls chuckled.

"You got anything planned, Kirei? Maybe a date to clear all this up?" Hinata asked, nearly clear eyes looking at the blonde.

She nodded. "Yep. I've got it all planned. But," She pulled out her phone, opening it up. "can you two show me how to send a picture message?"

Sakura ruffled her eyebrows at her, looking over to Hinata and then back at Kirei. "You don't know how?" She asked incredulously.

Kirei smiled in embarrassment, giggling. "Yeah, actually. I'm not good with technology."

Sakura smiled at her, taking the phone. She began looking through it, pressing buttons and whatnot. "No pictures, 5 calls all to Naruto, no – " The pinked haired girl looked at the phone with wide green eyes.

"What?" Kirei asked, knowing it was coming.

Hinata was equally as curious, watching Sakura look at the screen. "What is it, Sakura?"

"NO TEXT MESSAGES?!"

Kirei cringed under her scream. She never had a phone before and technology hates her, so she didn't use the phone that much.

Shocked, Sakura set the phone down, taking Kirei's shoulders and shaking them back and forth. "How can you not have any text messages at _**all**_?! HOW?!"

Hinata laughed, prying her hands from Kirei's shoulders. "It's okay, Sakura, it's _**okay**_!" She said calmly, trying to pacify their friend.

Sakura laid back on the grass, still trying to understand how someone could live without texting.

"Uh…sorry?" Kirei managed to say, looking at a confused Sakura.

"Don't worry about her," Hinata said, reaching over Kirei and taking the phone Sakura had set down. "I'll teach you, okay?"

Kirei sighed, thankful that someone was gonna teach her. Texting was all part of her plan, so she had to know. "Thanks, Hina."

She smiled back, closing and opening the phone. "Okay, see here…"

* * *

Sasuke grabbed a towel from his bag, wiping the sweat from his brow. They'd just finished filming a fight scene and it took more out of him than he realized.

Just as he threw the towel back on his bag, the whole bag shook. It stopped after a second and started again.

He smiled, looking at the bed, crouching down and pulling out his phone. "One text from…Princess?" He thought out loud. Kirei was named as Princess in his phone. If Sasuke was Emo Kid, she was Princess.

A smirk on his face, he looked over at Kirei, who sat in her normal spot, sketching as always. He knew she couldn't text at all. He tried to teach her to no avail. She couldn't've learned from Hinata, could she?

He smiled nonetheless, opening the message.

"Teme, hurry up!!" Naruto called, standing a few feet away, ready to film.

Sasuke waved, looking at the picture attached to the message.

There were cans of paint, all a different color. He recognized them from Kirei's Studio cabinet.

He looked back over to her, ruffling his brows, smiling. "What are you up to…?"

"_**Teme**_!"

"I'm coming!" He snapped, clipping his phone shut and throwing it back in his back. When he looked back at Kirei, she was smiling at him and he could tell she was the one who sent it.

Well, it was early in the morning. He'd have to wait and see what else she was planning.

* * *

Almost the same exact thing happened during lunch, although when he received this message, Kirei was right beside him.

This one had a picture of feet – presumably hers – but he wasn't sure. Kirei absolutely detested shoes, always in her socks or barefooted. As of the moment, she was wearing socks, but she could've easily taken them off, taken a picture and put them back on. He still waited to see what she was planning.

Sometime later, maybe 2 PM, he got another text, only when he opened it, there was no picture, just music.

Again, he looked to Kirei, who was "asleep" near her tree. She was leaning up against it, head tilted to the side, like she was asleep. He doubted that. "You're crazy, Kirei."

With his out loud thought, Sasuke tossed his phone back in his back, shaking his head. And yet, he couldn't stop smiling.

Later still, around 5, as he walked Kirei home, his arm around her waist, his phone went off again. He eyed her, finding her looking at him.

"What?" She asked, eyes wide, a devilish grin on her face.

He shook his head, taking it out and opening the message. "My house. 8 sharp." It read. He smirked, looking down at the blonde who curiously looked at the message.

"Is that from Naruto?" She asked, trying to hold back her laughter, unable to hold away her grin.

He clipped it shut, sliding it back into his pocket. "Because _**Naruto**_ is my "Princess"." He answered sarcastically, kissing her locks.

"I thought _**I**_ was!" She answered back with the most seriously hurt face she could muster, until she laughed.

He chuckled a bit. "I still have no idea what the hell you're planning."

She smiled a sly smile. "Good." She nodded. "You aren't _**supposed**_ to know. It's all a surprise."

Coming up to the door of her home, he smiled, pulling her close. "I like surprises."

She strung her arms around his neck, smiling as he set his forehead on hers. "Oh, you'll like this one."

The silky tone in her voice sent a shiver up his spine, making him wonder even more. "I'll be here at 7 sharp."

"8 sharp." Kirei corrected, smiling.

He nodded, letting her go, keeping his eyes with hers. "7:30 Sharp."

She chuckled, shaking her head. "8 sharp." She repeated, smiling. He was doing this for a reason…

"8 sharp." He smiled. "And _**where**_ are we going?" He asked quickly, hoping to catch her off guard.

She smiled even more, unlocking her door. "Nice try."

Sasuke smiled, cursing on the inside. "See you at 8."

She smiled back before slipping inside, her hand grabbed by his, pulling her back out. She sighed as Sasuke pulled her into a hug, kissing her forehead as he always did, making her giggle. "You'll like this surprise. A lot, I hope."

"If it's with you, I already love it." He answered, letting her slip inside her loft to get ready. Still 3 hours left and he already had butterflies in his stomach.

Just _**what**_ was Kirei planning?

* * *

The sun had already set as Sasuke arrived at Kirei's loft, the butterflies in his stomach not flying, oh no, they had jet packs, swooshing around. He never just entered her house – only using the glass doors in her studio for that – knocking first. Not sure of where they were going or what they were doing, he'd just opted with a black t-shirt and jeans.

Seeing Kirei as she opened the door, Sasuke thought he was living the greatest dream he could think up.

Kirei was there, smiling at him, her eyes set a little lower than normal, her jeans torn to shreds, huge holes at the knees, other half-holes spread around the jeans.

The first thought in his mind was that he could literally put his hands inside those holes and get his whole arms through those holes, traveling up those legs…

Not wanting to, but tearing his eyes away, his mind traveled farther down the road of perverted thoughts.

Her shirt was…well…all in all, _**half**_ a shirt. The black shirt she had, probably a small sized one, was ripped and torn, showing off different parts of her skin, mostly her stomach, but there were a few rips up near her chest and sleeves. Again, he knew he could reaching inside those holes… Her hair was straightened and over her eye as always, but was messy and disheveled, eyes outlined in black eyeliner, making them even more piercing than usual.

Sasuke almost thought he was drooling, whipping his mouth to check.

She smiled a coy smile. "8 Sharp. Nice job."

Was it Sasuke or was it really hot? "Uh…yeah…" He mumbled, seeing her lock the door behind her, arm encased in black warmers, not covering her fingers, but the whole of her palm and up to her elbow.

She was calm, all smiles, walking away from her loft. When she noticed he wasn't with her, she looked back.

He was still standing there, shocked.

She sighed, shaking her head. "Come on, silly." She went back for him, grabbing his hands and pulling him along.

Good god, Kirei had a half-hole right below her ass on the left side!

Sasuke had a pretty sure feeling he was in for a great night.

* * *

"_**Paint**_?" He asked, finally finding some speaking skills within his shocked brain. He'd never in his life seen Kirei like this before. He liked it.

In front of the two of them was the large neon sign of one of the hottest clubs in Konoha – Paint.

She nodded. "Yeah." She knew he knew it, pulling him up to the entrance. "Raiha's aunt owns it and I work here when she needs help." She glanced back to him, grip on his hand increasing.

"Oh really?" He asked. Hey, if she was going to be confident, sexy and flirty, he could flirt right back. He increased pace to meet her, his hand coming around her waist, yet still holding hers with it.

"Yep." She made a pop sound with her lips as she answered, bringing her lips together cutely.

Blinking, Sasuke was making sure he was awake, cause if this was a dream, he didn't want to wake up at all. "And what sparked this change in you," He rubbed her side, onyx eyes unable to leave azure eyes. "not that I mind at all?"

She moved closer to him, her thumb moving right with his. "Cause I know you won't try anything." She answered truthfully. "If I'd done this with Kiba, what do you think he'd do? I can trust you."

He watched as she passed all the people waiting in line, leading him to the entrance, realizing just how much Kirei trusted him. She was right in saying that he wouldn't do anything – even thought at the moment she was hard to resist – not wanting to do anything to forsake that. His love for her was more than his want for her. "I see."

"Hey, Yuuka." She flashed the bouncer a smile. "How's it going tonight?"

He smiled when he saw her, looking her up and down. "Good. Who's the beau?"

Sasuke growled softly, seeing him look her up and down. Kirei was his and no one else's.

With her left elbow, the one closest to him, she ribbed him lightly, able to hear the growl. "My date."

He winked, letting her pass despite the shouts from the line. "Have fun."

"Oh, we will…" Kirei answered, pressing her nose to Sasuke's, drawing his attention. "Jealous?"

He snarled, glaring at everyone else who looked at her, watching how she led him through. "He was looking at you."

"Of course he was, he's never seen me in clothes like this before." She answered, knowing the club like the back of her hand.

As they entered the club, the impossibly large dance floor was the first thing they saw, a small almost open hallway on each side of them, small booths and tables spread here and there. Kirei led them to her right, coming right up to the bar, seeing a familiar face.

"I think you should wear them more often." Sasuke breathed in her ear, the music thumping loudly, hand slipping from hers, moving behind her and resting both hands on her hips. This was advantageous in two ways; one, he was able to follow her and still glare at people. Two, he was able to feel how she swayed her hips when she walked.

She smiled at the comment, setting her hands on his. "Hey, love!" She called, slamming her hand on the wooden bar.

Sasuke saw another guy, the bartender turn toward her, white teeth shown as he smiled.

"_**Bunny**_!!" He yelled, red hair looking strawberry colored in the dim light. He came up, drying a glass.

Sasuke glared.

He didn't seem fazed, flashing a sexy smile, setting his elbows on the edge of the bar. "Who's the beau, bunny? Your new man??" He asked, expecting a blush from the blonde.

Hands on his, Kirei leaned back on his chest, smiling. "He's my date. Sasuke, this is Matt, Matt, this is Sasuke."

"Nice to meet you, Cutie." He answered, still smiling, eyes looking rather…hungry.

Now Sasuke realized. Matt was gay. Well, as long as he wasn't eyeing up Kirei, he was good with Sasuke. "Same."

Matt frowned at Kirei, shaking the glass at her. "He's too emo for you." He shook his head, putting the glass away while grabbing another one.

Kirei didn't flinch. "That's why I like him!" She giggled, massaging Sasuke's hand to keep him happy. "Which booth can I take?"

He nodded to an one open, right beside a spot where they could easily enter the dance floor. "Have fun!! If you don't _**I**_ will!"

Sasuke continued to growl lowly, letting Kirei lead him to that booth. He glared off every guy who looked at her, keeping his grip on her hips. He noticed that she walked to the beat, even if it changed, she found it and walked to it.

"Don't worry, I won't go anywhere." She assured, sliding into the booth, bringing him right with her. "I brought you here with me." She took her arms, wrapping them around his neck, pulling his nose to hers, soft eyes entrancing his. "And I'm not leaving without you."

Sasuke felt the hair on the back of his neck rise, licking his lips. He couldn't resist, setting his lips on hers, kissing her.

She didn't mind, doing her best to kiss back. When he pulled away, she asked breathlessly, "You're going to be doing that all night, aren't you?"

He nodded. "Oh yes."

"Oh, look how cute!! My bunny with the delicious Emo treat!"

Sasuke closed his eyes, growling. When he looked at the edge of the table, Matt was standing there, smiling.

Kirei smiled back at him, sitting right next to Sasuke, nearly on his lap. "Hi, Matt. You're waiting on us?"

He nodded happily, pulling out a pad and pen. "I can't let you two on your own, now can I?"

Sasuke answered with a glare and a snarl.

Kirei shook her head, chuckling, able to feel the growl. "You are so overprotective, you know that?"

"Well, lovebirds, what can I get you?" Matt asked, still unfazed at Sasuke's glare. Yeah, the emo was cute, but Kirei was with him. He wasn't going to even try to steal him away from her.

"Just water, rocks please." Kirei answered, feeling Sasuke's warm hand on her back, another one on her waist.

"Same here." Sasuke answered.

Matt sighed. "You two are so _**boring**_. You come to a club and you're not even going to get smashed!" He scoffed at first, then smiled. "I'll be right back." He left, heading back over to the bar.

"He kinda reminds me of Ino." Sasuke mumbled, nuzzling Kirei's neck, happy that now he had her to himself.

Giggling and cringing, because he was also tickling her, she answered, "Really?"

"Yeah," He nodded, gently kissing her clavicle, exposed by the tears in her shirt. "Just like her." He took a moment, still tickling her, to look over at the bar, wondering when Matt would be back to ruin the moment. Again.

As he did this, he found another man at the bar, probably in his 20's with messy white hair. He looked like he'd been drinking, a half empty glass in his hand. That didn't piss Sasuke off. What did was the fact that he was looking over, watching Kirei. "There's a guy watching you…" He growled loudly, glaring at the guy, almost activating his Sharingan.

Trying to stop her laughter, Kirei looked at the bar as well, finding the white haired man gazing at her. She sighed. She didn't mind that Sasuke was overprotective of her, jealous of everyone else, it just meant that he cared. "That's okay, let him look."

Ceasing his tickling, Sasuke tore himself from her neck, looking at her in utter confusion. He didn't need to ask, his expression asking for him.

She chuckled, gently kissing him on the cheek. She didn't like to randomly kiss him, like he did to her. "Cause you're the only one who gets to touch." Looking at the Uchiha's eyes with a smile, she felt a large blush rise in her cheeks, heart beating a mile a minute. "To a point, of course." She added quickly.

He couldn't help but smile. She was trying to appease him, blushing horribly. "Okay." He gently kissed her back, happy beyond words. The good girl that she was, she was trying to be something she wasn't, just to make _**him**_ happy. "Just be yourself, Kirei. That's what I love about you, got it?"

He kept her eyes with hers, even though she was still blushing. "But I feel bad cause – "

He shook his head, sighing. "What is it gonna take for me to get you to listen? You're so stubborn."

"My job." She smiled.

"Seriously," He continued, keeping her eyes right with his. It was the only way to assure she'd listen to him. "You don't need to act like a Playboy Bunny to make me happy. Just be the good girl you are."

She sighed heavily, eyes tearing away from his, lying her head on his shoulder. It was a great thing to know that he didn't want her to act like that. She was starting to get nervous, acting that way. "I can do that."

He smiled, kissing her on the top of the head. "I know."

Matt made his way back with their drinks, realizing he was unnoticed by the two, kept silent.

"I love you, Princess."

Squealing like a school girl, Matt almost lost his tray. "Oh, my god, you two are _**so**_ cute!!"

Sasuke resumed growling and glaring.

Kirei laughed. "Thanks, Matt." She watched him set the glasses down, a small napkin underneath them.

"You two wanna order?" He asked, honey green eyes flickering in between the two.

Shaking her head, Kirei smiled. "Not yet."

"Call me when you do, okay, bunny?" He asked, unable to stop smiling even though he was being glared at.

She nodded. "Of course, love."

Sasuke watched as Matt winked at him before leaving. He wasn't hitting on him…_**was**_ he?

Kirei noticed this, chuckling a bit. "I'll promise to keep him off you if you dance with me." She looked over at him, smiling.

He raised an eyebrow. Didn't he tell her months ago? "I don't dance." Seeing the look on her face, a cute lip pout, blue eyes big and pleading, Sasuke sighed. "…Alright…_**One**_ dance, I promise…"

"Yay!!" She cried, sliding out of the booth, pulling him along. "Cause my favorite song's coming up!!"

Sasuke had to live up to his promise, letting her drag him to the dance floor. Either way, she was happy, so was he. He was a bit confused as how she knew her favorite song was coming up, but let it go. Namikaze's were crazy. There was no explanation for them.

So why ask?

* * *

Letting Kirei lead him, Sasuke thought he recognized the beat of the upcoming song, it blending with another one he didn't recognize.

Kirei pulled them into the middle of the large dance floor, keeping both her hands with Sasuke's as she danced to the beat, pulling him around to face her.

He watched her, hating how crowds bumped and pushed into him, but at the moment, they weren't being bumped, having more then enough room. Plus, he got to see Kirei dance and laugh, something he loved to see.

Just like how she danced with Kiba months before, she mouthed the words to the song, eyes closed, her body alive with the beat, heart thumping so fast, ears ready to burst from the noise. But she didn't care, it was her favorite song to dance to.

_"Let's Drop! Yeah, come on_  
_Shake, Shake…_

_I'll take you home if you don't leave me at the front door (front door)_  
_Your body's cold, but girl we're getting so warm_  
_And I was thinking of ways that I could get inside (get inside)_  
_Tonight you're falling in love, let me go now_  
_The feelings tearing me up, here we go now…"_

Dancing with her, Sasuke actually listened to the lyrics. They seemed very…perverted. Kirei didn't seem to notice, her eyes usually closed or downward. He was sure because he was looking at her, seeing how she swung her hips to the beat, smile wide on her face. Despite being a good girl, she didn't seem like it when she danced…

_"Now if she does it like this, will you do it like that?_  
_Now if she touches like this, will you touch her right back?_  
_Now if she moves like this, will you move her like that?  
Come on, shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_

_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_  
_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_  
_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_  
_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it…"_

Oh yes. The lyrics were perverted. He couldn't even believe she listened to the song, let alone dance to it.

But dance to it she did, shaking her hips to the words, her hair swinging in the opposite direction, making him want to reach out…

_"Your lips tremble but your eyes are in a straight stare (straight stare)_  
_We're on the bed but your clothes are laying right there_  
_And I was thinking of places I could hide (I could hide)_  
_Tonight you're falling in love, let me go now_  
_The feelings tearing me up, here we go now…_

_Now if she does it like this, will you do it like that?_  
_Now if she touches like this, will you touch her right back?_  
_Now if she moves like this, will you move her like that?  
Come on, shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_

_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_  
_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_  
_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_  
_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it…"_

This time, her eyes were neither down nor closed, looking straight at him, blue eyes almost a soft neon blue with the lighting. There were glimpses where she'd look down, shake her hips while shaking her head, hair flying back and forth, but her sight would come right back to his, always.

Sometimes, she'd bite her lip in that cute way she did, sending a shiver down his spine. Like how she sang in her trance state, did she realize she acted this way, sexier than usual?

_"I saw you dancing and I couldn't get you off my mind,_  
_I could tell," _Hip shake to the right, _"that you could tell,"_ then to the left, _"that I was taking my time, "_ Three shakes, timed perfectly to "taking my time." Wow. Sasuke had it **_bad_**…  
_"But I was thinking of way to get you staying the night_  
_Your body's shaking, tell me so I can turn off the lights,"_

Just as the lyric echoed in the club, all the lights in the club shut down, making it pitch black.

Sasuke jumped a bit, feeling a pair of small, barely sweaty hands reaching out for his, pulling him closer to her, fingers entwining with his.

The lights stayed off, another set pulsing with every "this, that and shake", Sasuke seeing those blue eyes or a smile every time, her hands setting his on her hips as the last chorus came on. She wasn't sure why she did it, but she wanted to. Kirei had come to like his touch.

_"Now if she does it like this, will you do it like that?_  
_Now if she touches like this, will you touch her right back?_  
_Now if she moves like this, will you move her like that?  
Come on, shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_

_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_  
_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_  
_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_  
_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_

_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_  
_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_  
_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it_  
_Shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it…"_

As the last words rolled off, Sasuke couldn't help himself, keeping his hands on her hips, kissing her passionately.

She laughed when the pulled apart, her arms now around his neck, forehead touching his. "Come on," She laughed, watching how he kept his eyes on her, mainly on her lips. "let's get something to eat."

Sasuke couldn't stop himself. "Can I eat _**you**_?"

Shaking her head, Kirei laughed and dragged him back to their booth. Despite the perverted-ness, she couldn't help but smile.

* * *

As Kirei and Sasuke left the dance floor, they passed a very familiar couple although they didn't notice.

Raiha was leading Neji in a similar way, his hands on her hips, walking behind her. "Thank you for getting me in here for free, love." Neji whispered in her ear, letting her string him along.

She smiled, shaking her head. "It's no big deal…my aunt owns the place…so…" She looked around warily. "Let's just get upstairs before my aunt – "

"_**Rai**_-_**rai**_!!"

"Oh god…" Raiha wanted to bash her head off the nearest wall.

Neji chuckled, nuzzling her neck. "She can't be that bad, love."

"You have no idea." She answered, turning to see her aunt pushing people out of the way to meet up with her niece and her boyfriend. "She's drunk." She muttered.

"How can you tell?"

"Rai-rai!" Her aunt hollered, crushing Raiha in an impossibly tight hug. "Oh, it's been _**so**_ long!" Her brown eyes caught sight of Neji, who stood not a foot away from Raiha, still wondering how Raiha could tell she was drunk. "Look at this _**hunk**_…"

Raiha sighed, ready to hit her over the head.

Neji raised an eyebrow, hand outstretched to meet his girlfriend's aunt.

"Nice going, girl!" She added, stumbling over to Neji, putting her arm around his shoulders, leaning on him. "I mean, it's obvious he's got money if he got you in here…and I swear, if I was 20 years younger…mm-mmm, he'd be down on the flo – "

"_**Aunt**_ _**Maeko**_!!" Raiha screamed, cutting her off, her face completely red.

"So, the perverted mind runs in the family, huh?" Neji asked, looking at a red faced Raiha.

"Oh, you bet stud muffin!" Maeko said, keeping a tight grasp on Neji's shoulders. "I bet this little filly's got a load of ideas for the two – "

"Okay, Neji, time to go!" Raiha cut her off, grabbing Neji's hand and pulling him away from her horribly embarrassing aunt. "Aunt Maeko, I'm glad you're having fun, we've had our fun, we're heading home."

Neji raised an eyebrow. Weren't they going upstairs?

"Aw," She said, grabbing a drink from a waitress who'd walked by. "You two are no fun." As she took a sip, Raiha inching off, pulling Neji along, she gulped and gasped. "Or maybe you're going home to – "

"Bye!!" Face still red, Raiha cut her aunt off once more, dragging Neji away.

Her aunt tried to follow, but gave up, smiling and waving to the two.

Neji followed, smirking. A flustered Raiha was always cute, but he still had to wonder about going home. His questions were answered when, instead of going to the exit, Raiha pulled him up the stairs. "I see…making her think we were going home, when we duck up here…" He mumbled.

She nodded, finally reaching the VIP of the upstairs, not being carded because she was a relative of the owner. "Yeah, hopefully she'll stay downstairs."

He chuckled a bit, seeing how few people were upstairs and how homey it was. There were couches, chairs, tables, booths and all. He smiled, sitting down next to her on the one couch that overlooked the dance floor below and some booths, pulling her into his lap. "You know,"

She looked up at him, happy that it was just her and him again. No embarrassing aunt.

"I wonder if you get like that when _**you're**_ drunk." Neji finished, smiling down at his girl. He'd never seen her smashed before, but somewhat buzzed.

"If that's a preview, you're never gonna see it." She replied, snuggling into his chest.

He played with the hair that was in a ponytail, his other hand caressing her waist, happy to be with her. "Okay, love." He kissed the top of her head, waiting for her to realize what song was playing.

"Hey, look," Raiha began, pointing to the floor below them. "Don't we know that duck-butt hairstyle?"

Neji ruffled his eyebrows, a bit of a smile on her face. He knew Sasuke never came to clubs, but as he looked to where she pointed, he found the raven. Along with him was an oh-so-familiar blonde. "Looks like we're not the only one's hiding our relationship."

Raiha nodded, smiling. "Yeah. Let's keep it secret, for them."

He kissed the top of her head, still waiting for her to realize. "Sure."

It was silent for a moment, Raiha calming down from her aunt, reveling in the bliss of sitting with the one she loved most. It was then Raiha realized her favorite slow song all time, making her gasp and look up at Neji with a smile. "You requested it, didn't you?"

"Maybe…"

_"I will never let you fall (let you fall)  
I'll stand up with you forever  
I'll be there for you through it all (through it all)  
Even if saving you sends me to heaven…"_

Raiha sighed, singing along so softly, Neji wasn't sure she was singing. Hm, her favorite song, her favorite man, one of her favorite places…

The club had been literally alive from the beat of the previous song, but as "Your Guardian Angel" progressed, the pulse died down, everyone having their moment.

No one had a better moment than Raiha, who, as she sang softly, had her chin pulled up, eyes looking into the loving clear eyes of her boyfriend. Both eye's slipped shut as they kissed, silencing her singing, but not the feeling that flowed through their hearts.

_"Use me as you will  
Pull my strings just for a thrill  
And I know I'll be okay  
Though my skies are turning gray_

_I will never let you fall  
I'll stand up with you forever  
I'll be there for you through it all  
Even if saving you sends me to heaven…"_

Another girl sang, albeit she had a much more powerful voice and was in a completely different spot.

Sasuke listened along, trying to hear Kirei's voice over the speakers, deciding to pull her so close to him that he could hear every word she sang.

She smiled, still singing along, moving to his lap, lacing her arms around his neck, keeping her blue eyes right with his.

His hands snaked around her waist, keeping her right with him. As every time before, he couldn't tear his eyes away from hers, watching how she put so much emotion into every word, even shutting her eyes. "I love you, Kirei."

The song fading, Kirei sighed, opening her eyes again. She smiled, seeing a pair of soft onyx eyes looking back at her. "Can I – "

"Yes," He chuckled, already knowing her question. "You can."

She giggled, kissing him on the lips once more. As before, it wasn't anything big, but he didn't mind.

"So, lovebirds, what's on the menu tonight?!" Matt yelled as he walked up, blinking his eyes when he saw the two.

Blushing a bit, Kirei removed herself from Sasuke's lap, snuggling into his side. She looked up at Matt, smiling.

Sasuke resumed glaring.

"Well, Matt," Kirei began, knowing Sasuke wasn't about to say anything. "Am I on the menu?"

He arched an eyebrow. "…No…you know that. _**Why**_?" He was afraid of the answer.

She smiled, pointing to Sasuke. "Cause he wants to eat me and I'm not sure how much I cost."

Sasuke looked at her, his arms still around her waist, gently nipping her ear. He wondered how Matt would react, looking back at the strawberry blonde. "Yeah, I'm hungry."

It was Matt's turn to glare, frowning at Sasuke. "She's _**priceless**_."

* * *

Thankfully, Sasuke and Kirei were able to get their food, Kirei free of course.

"I'm gonna be right back, okay?" Sasuke asked, watching as she picked at her French fries, deciding which one to eat first.

"Sure." She nodded, giggling as he kissed her forehead before leaving. She watched him leave the booth, happy that they both were having a good time. She had worried, knowing that Sasuke didn't like crowds or clubs, but he seemed to be having a great time.

Finishing her fries, she leaned back in the booth, taking a small break. Just being in a club made her heart race and also made her tired.

"Hey, girl,"

Kirei saw her, one of the usual waitresses smiling at her. "Hey," She noticed the tray in her hands, along with the drink on top of it.

"Someone bought you a drink." She winked, motioning her head toward the white haired man who sat at the bar, still watching her.

When he noticed her gaze on him, he lifted up his drink, flashing a smile.

"Is it alcoholic?" Kirei asked, seeing her set the drink underneath a white napkin. She wouldn't risk taking a drink from a stranger. Especially one who'd been watching her all night.

She ruffled her brows, picking up the drink and smelling it. "Smells like it." She set it back down, looking at Kirei. "I'm not the one who made it, I just delivered it."

Kirei knew the man's eyes were on her, but didn't care. With Sasuke jealous of everyone who looked her way, she wouldn't _**dare**_ take it. "Take it back. I don't want it." She replied, shaking her head. "Tell him I'm with someone."

The waitress smiled, happy to comply with a paying customer. "Sure."

Kirei watched the waitress walk off and return the drink to the man. Thankfully, she didn't have to worry about seeing his reaction or worry about him glaring at her as Sasuke walked back, sitting next to her.

He saw the worried look on her face, even though she covered it up with a smile. "What's going on?"

She kept that smile. "Nothing, it's the same as how you left." She shook her head slightly.

He simply looked at her, knowing it was more than enough to get her to talk.

She sighed, moving closer to him, wanting to be right beside him. "You remember that guy at the bar?"

Sasuke's growl resumed, his hand snaking around her waist.

She chuckled, hearing the growl. "He sent me a drink." She felt Sasuke move, probably looking down at her. "But I didn't take it, I sent it back. It smelled alcoholic."

He sighed, kissing the top of her head. "I won't leave again, just in case." His eyes flickered to the bar, not finding the white haired man there.

Kirei snuggled, happy that he was back. She was safe with him. "Mmkay."

"So," Sasuke began, smiling down at his blonde. "what do we do now?" He wouldn't dance again, unless she asked, so what else was there to do in a club?

She smiled, trying not to flinch at the fact that he was poking her sides. She always squealed when someone did that. "Enjoy each other's company." She tilted her head back, able to see him upside down, still smiling.

Her smile made him smile. "Okay."

* * *

Sighing, Kirei wasn't sure what to say anymore. The two knew each other so well, they knew what the other was going to say before they said it. Because of this, it had fallen to silence between them, Sasuke holding Kirei as always.

Neither minded, but still. They were in a club, a place to dance and have fun.

"I wanna dance." Kirei began, looking up at Sasuke again.

He was wary of her eyes, knowing she could use them to sucker him into saying yes. "I held up my end of the promise."

She nodded. "I know." Sighing, she pulled away from him, turning and looking back. "So, I'm gonna go make some friends, okay?"

He chuckled, always amazed at her ability to make friends so easily. "Okay, I'll watch."

She laughed, jumping away as he went to tickle her again. "Thank you!" She ran off with a wave, happy to know he'd be with her, in a sense. She'd never make him do something he didn't want to do unless there was reason to do it.

He watched her, shaking his head. One minute she was down and tired, the next fired up and ready to go. He had to admit, even without doing anything, just being at the club made his heart beat a little faster. Since he was a ninja, used to high pressure situations, his beat hadn't gone up much, but to any regular person – like Kirei – her heart was probably going a mile a minute.

Walking up to the dance floor, Kirei recognized the entrance guitar, walking to the "beat" it made, eyes closed, head moving back and forth as she sang to it.

_"I __judge by what she's wearing  
Just how many heads I'm tearing  
Off of assholes coming on to her  
Each night seems like it's getting worse  
And I wish she'd take the night off  
So I don't have to fight off  
Every asshole coming on to her  
It happens every night she works  
__  
They'll go and ask the DJ  
Find out just what would she say  
If they all tried coming on to her  
Don't they know it's never going to work  
They think they'll get inside her  
With every drink they buy her  
As they all try coming on to her  
This time somebody's getting hurt_

_Here comes the next contestant…"_

Kirei smiled, thinking how perfect of a song this was for Sasuke, finding her spot. She kept singing, taking glances every once in a while to see what he looked like and if he was still watching her.

Oh yes, he was.

_"Is that your hand on my girlfriend?  
Is that your hand?  
I wish you'd do it again  
I'll watch you leave here limping  
I wish you'd do it again  
I'll watch you leave here limping  
There goes the next contestant..._

_I even fear the ladies  
They're cool but twice as crazy  
Just as bad for coming on to her  
Don't they know it's never going to work?_

_Each time she bats an eyelash  
Somebody's grabbing her ass  
Everyone keeps coming on to her  
This time somebody's getting hurt_

_Here comes the next contestant…"_

Sasuke laughed, hearing the song and watching Kirei, the chorus of the song and guitar solo running by. Was this song perfect for him, or what?

Just as he laughed, he frowned. Even with the pulsing lights, Kirei distracting him, Sasuke noticed the white haired man from earlier, making his way to the dance floor.

More importantly, to Kirei.

Growling, Sasuke got up from the booth. He was sure as hell not going to dance, but he wouldn't let someone take away his Kirei. Not now.

Not _**ever**_.

_"I'm hating what she's wearing  
Everybody here keeps staring  
Can't wait 'til they get what they deserve  
This time somebody's getting hurt_

_Here comes the next contestant…"_

Sasuke couldn't walk fast enough, seeing the man reach Kirei before he did.

Kirei had seen the man, deciding to see what he would do first. Leave her alone and just watch, or come up to her.

He did the latter. "Hi, lady." He yelled over the music.

Kirei sighed, pulling some hair behind her ear. "Hi." Oh, _**why**_ didn't she bring Sasuke with her?

"I've been trying to talk to you all night." He watched her hungrily, eyes running up and down her body.

Disgusted, she tried to keep a smile on her face. "I know…but like I told the waitress, I'm here with someone else."

It was a few second delay but as she finished, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist, a chin on her shoulder. "Is he giving you trouble?" Sasuke asked, keeping his glare on the man, voice only loud enough for her to hear.

She didn't speak, setting her hands on top of his, gently gripping them as a maybe.

_"Is that your hand on my girlfriend?  
Is that your hand?  
I wish you'd do it again  
I'll watch you leave here limping  
I wish you'd do it again  
I'll watch you leave here limping,"_

The man saw this hand grip. He also saw Sasuke kiss Kirei on the cheek, staking that she'd been claimed for. "You know," He started off angrily. She had looked at him. A few times. She'd flash a smile toward him. Why the hell was she with **_this_** asshole?! "I've been trying to court you all night."

She smiled, knowing that whatever she did or said would be backed up by Sasuke. "I'm sorry, I'm with him."

He glared at her, the level almost matching one of Sasuke's glares, anger boiling over. He couldn't believe it. "Fuck you, sweetheart, fuck you!"

_"I wish you'd do it again  
Each night seems like it's getting worse  
I wish you'd do it again  
This time somebody's getting hurt…"_

Smirking, Kirei wrapped her arms around Sasuke's neck. "I'm sorry you'll hafta get in line for that." She was oddly confident with him there, watching how the man blinked in reaction. "And," She giggled, eyes never wavering from the man. "I think my boyfriend here's first."

Sasuke blinked, amazed by what she just said. She probably hadn't realized she said it, but she did. His glare refocused after a second, watching the man cry out furiously and leave the floor.

_"There goes the next contestant…"_

She laughed, being turned around in Sasuke's arms, surprised that he actually stayed with her. She figured he'd protect what was his and leave, already showing other's who she belonged to.

Sasuke kept her close, not wanting anyone else to talk to her, unbelievably happy that he was **f**_**i**_**nally** called her boyfriend. He couldn't stop from kissing her forehead first, then her jaw, just trailing kisses.

Not that she minded, Kirei wondered what made the Uchiha oddly happy all of a sudden. "Sasuke, why are you – "

"You called me your boyfriend." He answered, already knowing what she was going to ask, still smiling. Halting his kisses, he brought his sight right to hers, wondering if she'd take back what she said.

He needed no words to ask her, she was already thinking about it. She hadn't realized she'd called him that. Although, if she had said it without thinking, that meant she already recognized him as her boyfriend. She sighed first, her lips forming a smile.

That smile meant good things.

"Oh, what the hell…" Kirei was the one who brought him close, closing the gap between their lips, kissing him.

Surprised as he was, he kissed back, even happier than before. If he could be happier. She hadn't asked to kiss him like before, which meant to him that she was getting more and more comfortable.

As they say, good things come to those who wait.

* * *

Kirei laughed and giggled the whole way back to her loft, Sasuke unable to stop nuzzling her neck, arms wrapped around her waist, hands fiddling with her pockets. She was free to get her keys out and open her door, walking inside, also pulling Sasuke along.

She gasped as she felt a rush of cold air wafting out before she got inside. Walking inside, Kirei could see her breath as she breathed out, rubbing her arms to keep warm. "Why's it so cold in here?" She thought out loud.

Sasuke felt it, keeping her close to him in an effort for both of them to keep warm. "I'm not sure." He had a feeling, just something from instinct, that someone had broken in again. Lucky thing he was staying the night again, seeing as how it was already 1 in the morning.

"Lemme run upstairs and grab your jacket, okay?" She asked, turning her head, looking out of the corner of her eye.

Sasuke nodded hesitantly, letting Kirei run upstairs. He walked to the landing of the stairs, cautiously looking around. His eyes widened slightly when he saw the window at the end of the hallway shattered, pieces lying all over the hallway floor. "Kirei!" He called, running up the steps by twos.

"Wha – " Her voice cut off as she opened the door, eyes widening. She stumbled back a few steps, almost falling if she hadn't been caught by Sasuke.

He had gotten to her faster by jumping over the railing. His eyes also widened when he saw her room.

It was utterly trashed. He thought it was a mess before…but now, every stuffed animal she owned was on the ground, papers everywhere, clothes thrown in almost every spot. The only thing untouched was her bed. The worst part?

A member of Akatsuki was sitting on her bed, a purple mask covering his face. "Oh, you're finally home." He said, looking over at the two, getting up.

Kirei regained her footing, backing up a bit.

Sasuke tightened his grip around her waist, wishing he'd had a weapon or two with him.

"Please, don't be frightened, I just wish to talk." He said in a calm manner, as if he wasn't a threat.

"_**Frightened**_?!" Kirei exclaimed. "You broke into my house, trashed my room and have been trying to kidnap me and all you want to do is talk?!"

Sasuke massaged her sides, trying to keep her calm. Of course, he was as riled up as she was but was better at masking it.

He coughed. "Well…yes." He sighed, his breath hitting the mask in front of his face. "No matter what, Kirei-chan, you will come with us."

She felt her breath stifle in her chest. It was weird to hear someone she didn't know say her name.

"Sooner or later, it will happen."

"Who are you?" Sasuke managed to ask, afraid to the core that Kirei would be taken away from him. He couldn't live without her.

The purple masked man tilted his head, almost happy in answering. "Ramada. The leader of Akatsuki." Something upon his body began to beep. In reaction, he rolled his shoulder, the beep silencing. "Just remember, Sasuke," His head tilted to the raven and then to Kirei. "Kirei-chan,"

Sasuke could feel Kirei shaking, her breath still caught in her chest.

"You _**will**_ be mine." He vanished in a blur, his meaning dark, his voice light. Almost like it was a game to him.

Kirei and Sasuke stood there for more than a minute, completely shocked. His arms never wavered, holding the both of them up.

She was scared to think that someone was going to kidnap her, sometime in the future, just when life was getting good. She wasn't sure what she'd do without seeing Sasuke everyday, let alone not seeing her friends. She'd be taken out of the routine that was her life, the routine that made her feel safe.

Sasuke was just as scared as she was, scared about nearly the same thing. She had become so much a part of his life, if she wasn't there…Sasuke really didn't have a life to live. He was absolutely sure that he couldn't go back to the way life was before she came. It seemed nearly impossible. No, it _**was**_ impossible.

"Come on," He said softly, pulling her away from the room. "Let's go downstairs." He pulled her along, taking her downstairs and to the living room.

Oddly enough, as he sat on the couch, Kirei moved out of his grasp. She wasn't sure of this feeling, but knew that there was something he wasn't telling her. She wouldn't go near him until she found out.

Sighing as he sat, he pulled out his phone and dialing a number. "Minato?"

Kirei tilted her head at him. Why was he calling her uncle?

"Yeah, it's me. It's official, Akatsuki's after Kirei." He said, voice somewhat soft, closing his eyes and setting his head in his hand. "No, he was here, Minato. He broke in and was waiting for us." He nodded. "Yes. Oh, don't worry," His eyes flickered to Kirei. "I'm not leaving."

She sighed at this, already knowing that he wouldn't leave her. Having it confirmed just made her feel safer.

"Yeah. Alright, Minato. Don't worry. Night." He clipped his phone shut, sighing as he tossed it on the coffee table. He shifted on the couch, waiting for Kirei to come and curl up next to him like she always did when something like this happened. He ruffled his brows when after a few minutes, she didn't. Looking over at her, she was standing on the side of the coffee table, watching him. "Come on," He said, offering a small smile.

She shook her head. "No." She answered, her voice still somewhat shaky. "I want to know what's going on."

He sighed, shaking his head, sitting up a bit. "Kirei…" He shut his eyes. "Not now. Come here." He wouldn't say it, but he wanted to have her right with him in his arms. That was the only way to guarantee that she wouldn't be taken from him.

She took a step back. "No. I have a right to know – "

"Please?" With tired onyx eyes he looked up at her.

Never having heard the Uchiha plead with her, she silently nodded, walking over to him. "Okay." She went to sit beside him like she always did, curling up beside him, but was pulled into the Uchiha's lap, his arms wrapping around her tightly. She watched as he set his ear on her heart, probably listening to her heartbeat, his eyes closed.

Sitting there in his arms, his face buried in her chest, Kirei realized that he was afraid to lose her. It was the only way to explain his strange behavior. She smiled at this, her left hand gently rubbing his shoulders, her right hand finding the one that sat on her lap, intertwining their fingers. "It's okay…"

He shook his head slightly, breathing in her scent. "We don't know why they're after you. They just are." He told her softly, grip increasing. "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't." She answered as softly as he said. "I'll be with you always." She smiled when he looked at her, eyes unusually large. "Sleep?"

"Sleep, Princess." He nodded, wanting to try and sleep everything off. Lying back, he kept her in his arms, sleeping like they had a few weeks ago on their first date. He loosened his grip on her just a bit, allowing her to breathe, but also allowing him to keep her close. "I love you."

She snuggled closer to him, smiling, loving how she could hear his heartbeat. "I really like you."

He sighed, leaning forward a bit to kiss the top of her head. He'd be damned if someone took her away. Not when it was getting better, not when he actually had something to look forward to.


	15. Fire

* * *

**_The Actors_**

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD

_Notes:_ Sigh, what a week. It's been a long, frustrating and tiring week. Writing has lessened a bit, due to headaches from hitting my head off our stage floor at school and because I have recently found that one of my aunt's horses that I help take care of has to be put down. He's ancient in horse years (about 35, we guess), but his heart is only working at 30. He means a lot to me, seeing as how he was the first horse I met on the farm, but also because he was the first horse I had ever actually ridden. And because he's my baby; he follows me around wherever I go, comes when I call him, etc. So, writing hasn't been coming all that well, but it's coming. Anyway, I hope life is going well for you readers!!

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!

* * *

_Chapter 15 – Fire_

* * *

"What ways have we tried so far?" Ramada asked, sitting upon a large boulder, twiddling his thumbs. The members of his team were spread in front of him.

"I tried to lure her away with one of her favorite things." A hooded member spoke up, keeping within the shade of a tree. He didn't favor sunlight unless it was absolutely necessary.

"We've tried to grab her." A pair stated, sitting in a tree.

Another pair below them nodded. "Same here."

Ramada nodded. "I tried conversing with her."

"I say we use a distraction." The only female spoke. "Use a diversion to attract the Uchiha's attention, then grab her when he's not paying attention."

Ramada thought. It had been about a week and a half after his blonde and the raven's date, which just meant that the next date would be soon. He didn't want his blonde in someone else's hands and growled at the thought of where she was right now. "Yes." He nodded. "We will use a distraction. Find out what you can and get back to me."

They nodded and vanished.

* * *

Kirei sighed happily as she got ready for her next date. So far, life was great. She never imagined that she'd be this happy in her life.

She had her cousin and her uncle, her boyfriend and best friend, her girl friends…everyone. It was more than she could ever want.

"Are you ready yet, nee-chan?!" Naruto called up as he waited with Hinata and Sasuke in her living room.

Hinata chuckled, tugging on Naruto's sleeve, sitting right next to him. "Calm down, sweetie. She'll be down any minute."

"Yeah, but – " He was silenced by Hinata's finger on his lips.

Sasuke shook his head at the blonde, sitting in another chair. Impatient as always.

It was his third date with Kirei, a forced double date by Naruto, who wanted to find out just how Kirei was so happy all the time. They had all agreed to go out for the night, spending most of the night at the local arcade.

"Okay, I'm done, nii-san!" Kirei called, running down her steps to meet her cousin.

"_**FINALLY**_!" Naruto jumped to his feet, Hinata leaning away from him to avoid being hit. "Let's go!"

"It's gonna be a hell of a night." Sasuke mumbled, getting up and smiling when Kirei came up to him.

Naruto bounded along first, pulling Hinata along with him, his trademark grin broad on his face. "You bet, teme!" He was too excited to realize what Sasuke _**actually**_ meant.

Kirei made sure to lock the door to her loft as soon as they exited. She and Sasuke were keeping track of how many times her loft was broken into.

Their count was up to every time she left her house.

* * *

Kirei's eyes held the reflection of the game in front of her as she stood there, looking at it.

"Figuring out how to play it?" Sasuke asked, coming up behind her. He smiled, seeing her tilt her head at it.

"Uh-huh." She nodded, watching as he snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her one hand on the two buttons, the other hand on the joystick, his hands on hers. She giggled as his bangs tickled her neck, his chin nearly on her shoulder.

"I'll show you, okay?"

"Yeah." She watched as he started the game, her eyes glued on the bright colors and fast movements of the game.

Sasuke had played and won this game a few times, his experience allowing him to watch her more than the game. She was always cute when she was excited.

* * *

"Hina…" Naruto growled, watching how close Sasuke was to Kirei. He wrinkled his nose at the two, unhappy.

The blue haired chuckled, smiling at her overprotective boyfriend, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him back. "Let them go." She said, finding another game to play. "They both know what they're doing."

"Looks more like teme's controlling everything." He remarked, seeing how Kirei smiled and laughed. He couldn't help but feel that way, seeing as how the both of them never smiled as much as they did before and yet both smiled when the other was around.

Hinata sighed. "Naruto, you can't put her in that glass box anymore." She brought him to look into her clear eyes, wanting to make sure he heard her. "Have you ever seen Sasuke this happy before?"

He shook his head.  
"Exactly. For once in his life, he's happy. Plus, who better than her to be with than a ninja who's also your best friend? It's not like he's going to take her out of your life." She brought up very valid points, making the blonde think.

He looked away from her, watching his cousin and best friend. "Yeah." Grabbing her hand, he walked away from the two. "Let's go play a game."

Hinata smiled, following him. "Let's." It was about time he learned to let her go.

* * *

"_**'Scuse me…**_"

Sitting at a small table while eating a fudge sickle, Kirei looked down at who poked her arm. It was a small boy, brown hair, green eyes looking at her.

"D'ya have a quarter?" He asked, tilting his head. "I wanna play…" He pointed to a Pack-Man game. "But I don't have quarters. And I can't find mommie."

She smiled, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a few quarters, handing them to the boy. "Here ya go. If you can't find mommie, you come to me, okay?" She asked, keeping her eyes with the boy.

He nodded happily. "Tanks, lady!" He ran off, waving as he looked at Kirei.

"Who was that?" Sasuke asked as he came up from getting change to play more games. He'd never seen the boy before.

She smiled, getting up. "Just a kid wanting to play."

He chuckled. "Sounds like Naruto."

She chuckled as well, lacing her hands with his as he led them through, back to another game. "Be nice."

"Aw, but how?" He asked, smirking as he looked back at her. "I'm not sure what nice is."

Kirei couldn't help but laugh, letting him maneuver her so that she was next to him, his arm around her waist. "Uh-huh." She smiled at him. "And what do you call it when you act around me? That's – "

"Love." He cut her off, knowing she was going to say nice. With his arm around her, he kissed her forehead, sighing.

She set her head on his shoulder, letting him take her to wherever he wanted to go, happy to be where she was. Silent, she wasn't sure what to say back to him, unable to say, "I love you," yet anything else seemed inappropriate.

That was the last hurdle she needed to clear. She was already comfortable with him, but she still hadn't been able to say those three little words he always said to her. He knew from the start it wouldn't be easy for her, seeing as how the only person who really raised her and loved her died when she was young. He didn't think it would take this long, though.

On the other hand, he didn't mind. They both knew that she did love him – whether she could admit it or not – and that was all that mattered. It was as simple as that.

* * *

As soon as they began playing their game, a newer version of Pac-man, Kirei still eating her ice cream and making a good mess of herself, Sasuke's nose twitched, breathing in a familiar scent.

He recognized that smell, but couldn't place it.

"What's wrong?" Kirei asked, looking up at him. The only reason she knew something was wrong was because she'd started to beat him on the game. He always won at the games, unless he let her win.

He looked around the arcade, onyx eyes looking for something, anything to explain this smell. If he had to guess…it was smoke. "Come on." Fearing the worst, but being cautious, he quietly led a confused Kirei near the entrance, finding Naruto and Hinata heading there as well. "You smell it too?"

They nodded.

Naruto looked around grimly. "We've got to get these people out of here, just in case."

Hinata nodded in agreement. "Yeah."

* * *

Ramada watched, smiling as he sat upon the pool table within the arcade, disguised so well, no one realized that he was the leader of the Akatsuki. "Yes, please," He nodded to the female member, who was also disguised. "Burn it to the ground."

She smiled, happy to set a spark to the many wires that ran the electricity, loving to play with fire. It was her specialty. "You got it, love."

* * *

"Please," Naruto begged the woman, having no luck getting people to leave. They were just too damn stubborn! "Just exit the building!"

"_**FIRE**_!! GET _**OUT**_!!" A man called from the back of the building, seeing the start of a raging fire. As much as he tried to beat it out with his jacket, the fire raged. It was like it had a mind of it's own.

The woman looked back at Naruto, who smiled. "Come on," He led her to one of the many exits of the building, Hinata propping the doors open.

"Thank you," The woman told the both of them, her small daughter hiding behind her mother's leg. "Thank you _**so**_ much."

Hinata smiled, nodding. "No problem."

As Hinata held that door open, Naruto held the other door open, sighing as people began to flood out, also able to see the flames rising further and further up the arcade. Seeing the people, he knew that neither Kirei nor Sasuke had exited yet. Alarms started going off that needed to go find her, but his mind calmed, remembering who she was with and that he would give _**anything**_ to keep her safe.

* * *

As Naruto and Hinata held the main doors for the Arcade open, people flooding out, Sasuke pulled Kirei through the flood, heading for the side exit, a door added to the structure just in case something like this happened.

He pushed the door open with his foot, afraid to touch the solid metal bar in case it was hot enough to burn his skin. He let Kirei get out first, knowing his blonde had a very sensitive nose and the smoke was anything but sensitive.

She coughed as she stumbled outside, taking a few deep breaths to clear the sting in her nose and get her own breath back.

Sasuke followed her, opening the door as wide as it would go, holding it open by means of his back. "You alright, Princess?" He asked as she shook her head, coming to stand beside him.

She nodded first, blinking her eyes. "Yeah, I'll be fine." She smiled as she felt an arm wrap around her waist, pulling her closer to the raven. Sighing, she laced her one hand with his, happy to have him right with her.

He was also very happy, although a looming suspicion crept into his mind. "I think Akatsuki's behind this." He whispered into the blonde's hair, watching the people heading out of the side door increase.

Kirei ruffled her brows, turning her head slightly to see the raven. "What do you mean? It's just a random spark that started a fire."

He shook his head, tightening his grip on her fingers. "It's _**not**_ random." He sighed. "A couple years ago, Naruto and Kiba decided to see if they could get these machines to spark…Little did they know, there's a device that automatically shuts down the machine before it can catch fire." He explained. "I should know. _**I**_ was the one who bailed them out of jail."

Despite the danger of Akatsuki, she couldn't help but snort out of laughter. "I could imagine them doing that."

He chuckled as well, his voice quickly turning sour. "I could too…but I want you to stay right with me, okay?"

She nodded, already knowing what the Uchiha's next words were. To comfort him, she leaned back a bit, her back resting on his chest.

"I don't want to lose you."

She shook her head slightly, feeling him kiss her locks. "You won't. I promise."

He sighed, hearing his blonde's promise. He knew she'd do all she could to not break it.

So the two stood there, watching as people began leaving the building in a frenzy, clearing their lungs of smoke, the heat of the oncoming fire starting to make the couple standing there very warm.

Neither one minded, keeping an eye on the flames so that they could escape if needed.

"Excuse me," A rather frenzied woman asked, fighting her way through the flood of people to Kirei and Sasuke. "Please," She begged. "_**Please**_, tell me you've seen a little boy, about 5 or 6, brown hair, green eyes come out of this door?"

Blue eyes narrowed at the woman. Was she the mother of the little boy Kirei helped out? "Does he like to play Pac-man?" She asked.

The woman sighed a huge sigh in relief. "You saw him! Oh, thank god! I was so worried he'd gone and hid because he's afraid of fire!!"

Kirei rolled her lips. She didn't have the heart to tell the woman she _**hadn't**_ seen the boy run out. All she could do was gulp and lie. "It's okay, ma'am. I sent him by the large oak tree, right over there." With a fake smile she pointed to the first oak she saw, seeing a large number of people gathered there.

The woman grabbed Kirei's hands, squeezing them tight. "Thank you so much. I don't know what I'd do without him; he's my whole world."

She smiled once more, shaking her head slightly. "No problem." She knew the woman's situation better than the woman thought. Daisuke was once her whole world, too.

As the woman left, Sasuke rubbed Kirei's hand. He'd been standing there as long as she had and he hadn't seen the boy at all, which only told him that Kirei had lied. "Princess…" He started off, trying to see his blonde's eyes. "I've been here as long as you…He didn't come out."

She nodded once. "I know…" She turned, able to see onyx eyes on her. "I've gotta find him."

Her words meant letting her go. Letting her freely roam in the building that was currently going up in flames. He'd be damned if he let her go now, making his point by squeezing her waist gently.

She sighed, feeling his grip. "I know you don't want to let me go…but please," She began, almost begging him. "I've _**got**_ to find him."

It wasn't that she needed to find the boy that made him let her go. It was the fact that she had begged him to let her go. "Five minutes." He said, turning her around and taking in her blue eyes. "If you're not out, boy or not, I'm coming to get you."

She gave him a small smile. "Okay." Taking his jaw in both her hands, she pulled him down, kissing his forehead. "Five minutes, I promise."

He hugged her tightly, not wanting to let her go, but knowing he had to. Without words, he watched as she slipped from his grasp, fighting the lessened flood of people to get inside.

He gulped, taking in a breath to keep himself calm. He didn't like this.

His heart told him something bad was about to happen. Unfortunately for him, his heart was almost always right.

* * *

Kirei avoided any spot with large flames, crouched down so low, she was almost crawling on her hands and knees. She did all she could to avoid the thick black smoke that burned her nose and shortened her breathing.

Despite the threats around, she would find that little boy for his mother, knowing all too well how much it hurt to lose someone who was your whole world.

She sighed as she looked around. The Pac-man game was right in front of her, screen blank, the machine barely singed. If the boy wasn't around his favorite game, where could he be?

She thought and thought, still moving to avoid smoke and fire.

"The closet!" She snapped, a smile on her face. When she was confronted with rain, she hid in a small, dark place where safety was. Where nothing could harm you. Not flame, not rain. "He's _**gotta**_ be in the closet."

Forced to crawl from the gathering smoke, she headed for the back of the arcade, where a janitor's closet would be located. That is where the "Pac-Man" boy would be hiding, away from flame and fear.

And that, she hoped, is where she would find him.

* * *

Letting heat and smoke pour from the burning building, Sasuke still held the door open, everyone outside, save for Kirei and "Pac-Man" boy.

He sighed, looking back inside the building every few seconds, only to have his eyes driven away from the smoke that stung his eyes. When the sting was gone, he looked back, hoping to see his blonde walking out unharmed, the boy in her arms.

Every time he looked, his heart dropped just a little bit. She still wasn't back.

"Sir?"

Sasuke nearly jumped, hearing someone's voice as it shook him from this thoughts. He also noticed that sirens were blaring, which he hadn't heard before. Was he so deep in thought that he didn't hear them?

"Sorry for startling you," The fireman began, shifting the helmet upon his head. "But I wanted to thank you for helping to get these people out." He motioned to all the people who were inside the arcade, now held back by a barrier, keeping them a safe distance away from the fire.

Sasuke nodded. As a ninja, it was also his job to keep people safe. "No problem." He glanced back once more, seeing if Kirei had come out yet. He sighed. No Kirei.

"Also, I'm going to have to ask you to get behind the barrier with the other bystanders. We can't have someone getting hurt." As a fireman, it was his job to put out fires, but also to keep people safe. He didn't want the raven to get hurt.

Onyx eyes stared at the fireman in disbelief. Asking him to leave while his love, his _**world**_ was inside the burning building was like asking him to drop dead. It was impossible for Sasuke to even think about leaving his spot. "No," He began, finding his shocked voice. "I can't leave. My girlfriend's still in there."

The fireman's eyes widened, his hand trying to find the walkie-talkie that rested on his belt. When his gloved fingers found the device, he snapped it off his belt, pressing a button and talking into the device. "There's someone inside." He spoke, hearing his comrades pull out fire hoses and attach them to nearby fire hydrants. "I know you're worried," He began, speaking to Sasuke. "But I've got to keep you safe too."

Before Sasuke could even think about arguing, he was wrenched from his spot, the fireman pulling him along with such force, he couldn't squirm from his grip. A normal person would probably go along with the fireman without question, but Sasuke wasn't normal. He wanted to go back, despite the danger. Kirei was still inside and that door shutting behind her wasn't going to help.

If anything, it made him feel guilty. He was the one who let her go, after all.

"Now," The fireman instructed. "Stay behind this barrier and if we find her, we'll bring her out to you."

Sasuke winced. _**If**_. If meant a lot of things.

The fireman nodded to the raven, heading back to the building to help put out the flames and maybe find the girl who was still inside.

As Sasuke watched, his eyes unfocused and thoughts blurred, a worried Naruto found him, Hinata right behind the blonde. He immediately noticed that Kirei wasn't with him. "Where is she, Sasuke?"

Hold the blonde's hand, Hinata saw what Naruto did not. The heavy sigh and look of guilt on the raven's face, his eyes seemingly glossy. Her smile vanished.

His eyes slipped shut, pulling his head away from the both of them. For one of the few times in the Uchiha's life, he was ashamed to tell the truth. "Inside."

Blue eyes stared at the raven in disbelief. "…what?" He muttered, mind coming to grasp around the thought that Kirei was still inside the burning building. That Sasuke had let her go, had let her walk right into danger. "You _**let**_ her go?"

Hinata saw the fallen look on both their faces, her eyes shifting back to the arcade. She sighed heavily, trying to keep Naruto and herself calm. "Please be okay…" She mumbled, completely forgetting about her all seeing Kekkai Genkai. Her only thoughts were with her best friend who was still inside.

* * *

For 15 minutes the three waited, all worried but none more so than Sasuke, whose eyes never left the entrance. He wouldn't dare look away, afraid to miss anything.

Hope waned in their hearts, seeing how the fire continued to rage, half the building black, scorched from the intense heat. No matter what the firemen did, that building wouldn't be saved. It _**would**_ fall.

The only question that remained was, would Kirei get out in time?

There were frantic shouts from the firemen, not covered by the wailing sirens, but covering the rumors of people whispering beside them. It seemed to the three that something was happening, raising the hopes within their hearts.

All three's hearts stopped beating when, at the main entrance doors, both nearly melted off their hinges, emerged three people. The same fireman who had pulled Sasuke away from the side door had entered only moments before, and now, was pulling out a girl and a small child.

He'd found the girl with the child, the boy scared of the flames, the girl nearly passed out from smoke inhalation. He helped both of them out, the boy's face buried in the girl's shoulder, his own arm around her waist, helping her outside the building.

As they walked closer to the ambulance and the barriers, Sasuke's heart began beating again, able to make out the details of Kirei, his girlfriend. By impulse, he jumped the barrier, not caring about the police who tried to pull him back, his eyes on her and her alone.

Standing at the ambulance, the boy was taken from her arms, his mother also jumping the barrier to get her son. Her world was back, was safe and most importantly, was _**alive**_.

Kirei didn't even get a chance to sit down, her whole being suddenly wrapped into strong arms.

Sasuke wrapped his arms around her tightly, burrowing his face in her soot smelling hair, not wanting to let her go, _**ever**_ again. He said no words, his actions speaking much louder than words he could dare speak.

With little breath that she still had, she whispered, "I'm sorry…" Against his chest, able to hear the frantic heartbeat of the Uchiha.

He said nothing, keeping his face shielded from everyone, his arms tight around her waist and shoulder. He took a deep breath to try to calm himself, his mind in complete shock.

Even though her hair had no nerves, her scalp did, and if Kirei was thinking right, she felt something soft and wet on her head. It wasn't much, barely able to feel it, but the first thought that crossed her mind was that Sasuke was crying.

"Let's go home, Sasuke." She said softly, letting him take his time in releasing her, allowing her to breathe fresh air.

He didn't let her go far from his grasp, walking directly behind her, his arms still around her shoulder and the other around her waist. Through this maneuvering, he kept his sight from hers.

She walked toward the barrier, clearing some soot from her face, seeing her cousin staring at her thankfully, a small smile on his lips. "We're heading home, okay, Nii-san?" She asked quietly, her heart still racing.

He nodded, wanting to reach out and hug her, but he didn't on account of the raven who kept his face within her hair. If he was hiding from all of them, he must've been really upset. "Yeah. Call me tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure." She sighed, flashing a small smile to Hinata. She would've stayed longer had it not been for Sasuke hugging her tightly and for the fact that she herself wanted to go home.

Hinata smiled back in understanding. She herself wanted to go, whether it was to her house or to the Mansion. As long as she had Naruto with her, she would be okay.

Everything would be okay in the end as long as they stayed together.

* * *

The road to Kirei's loft had so far been deserted, the two walking along in absolute silence.

Sasuke was still attached to Kirei, although his arms were loosened a bit, allowing her to walk more beside him than in front of him.

She would take glances over at him, his strange behavior making her worry. He always had a word or two for her, or at least smiled when she looked over.

Not this time. His eyes were blank, his smile spared from her sight. "…Sasuke," She asked hesitantly, trying to catch his sight. "What's wrong?"

He sighed heavily, stopping the both of them in the middle of the barely lit street. He turned her around to face him, eyes softly gazing into hers before pulling her into another hug.

She realized that his eyes weren't blank, but filled with so many emotions, they couldn't portray just one.

"I was so scared." He admitted, his words barely above a whisper. "I thought I'd lost you."

She reached her arms around him as best she could, her smooth fingers rubbing his shoulder, the other set running through his hair at the base of his neck. "I promised you, Sasuke…I would _**never**_ break that promise." She replied softly, her hands steadily rubbing back and forth, up and down.

He sighed, always loving the feeling of her silky hands against his skin. "I know you had to find that boy, but – "

She pulled back, latching her eyes with the Uchiha's. "Sasuke, that boy was his mother's _**world**_. I know how it feels to lose that and I couldn't let that happen to her." She shook her head, not angry at him, but wanting to prove her point. Even if it wasn't happening to her, she couldn't stand to see it happen again. Losing your world was the worst feeling a person could go through.

He felt tears brimming his eyes, crouching down so that he was completely eye level with her, onyx eyes connected with sapphire eyes. "But you're _**my**_ whole world."

Her breath gathered in her chest, she watched as he pulled her into his arms again, face buried into her neck. It wasn't much, but she could feel his tears roll down her neck. Her arms found their way to the previous spots, gripping his shirt instead of rubbing.

"You're so much a part of my life, Kirei…If I didn't have you with me, I'm not sure what I'd do." He spoke softly, his own tears stopping, holding her tightly.

She knew his words _**all**_ to well. She'd spoken them years ago to the one person that was her whole world. Through all this, knowing the words, what they meant, she felt herself starting to cry.

"You need to realize that, Kirei." He spoke once more. "You need to realize that just because your world is gone, doesn't mean that you aren't someone _**else's**_ world. I love you so much…I just want you to know…"

She was completely in tears, crying against him. "I do know, Sasuke…" She sobbed, hands griping tightly. "And I'm so sorry for making you think otherwise…for putting you through this…for everything!"

He smiled just a tiny bit, kissing her soot covered locks softly. "Don't be, Princess." He pulled away slightly, coming to face her tear ridden eyes again. "Just stay with me. Be mine."

She smiled, blinking tears from her eyes, throwing her arms around his neck. "_**Always**_." She sobbed into his neck.

He let her cry for a few minutes, realizing, just as he did, that he was a large part of her world. Maybe not all of it, because she had her friends and her art, but that was okay. He could live with that. "Come on, love," He began, kneeling down in front of her, his back facing hers. "Let's go home."

She nodded, eyes becoming dry. Letting him carry her, she rested her head against his, inhaling his scent. "Yeah."

* * *

Only a few minutes passed when another realization hit Sasuke. He was having a lot of those tonight, wasn't he?

He become conscious of the fact that tonight was their third date. According to the deal, it was the date where she decided if she wanted to continue dating or break it off.

"Hey," He began, eyes glancing toward the blonde, seeing her eyes flutter open. Aw, he'd woken her up.

"Hm?" She replied sleepily.

"Do you know what tonight is?" He asked as softly as he could, not wanting to completely wake her up.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and searching her mind. It was a minute or two before she found what he was talking about, answering softly, "3rd date."

She was silent for so long, Sasuke'd thought she'd fallen back to sleep, nodding after he heard her voice. "Yeah…" He began, seeing her loft come into view as he carried her. "I need an answer, Kirei." In the looming depths of his heart, he knew what her answer was, but his mind thought otherwise. Yes, she was so attached to him, how in the world could she say no? His mind told him that even though she was attached to him, she _**could**_ decide not to date, to not ruin the relationship she already had with him.

He really needed an answer, glancing back at her.

She had both blue eyes on him, soft and entrancing, pooling the moonlight into her eyes. "I think the answer's kinda obvious, isn't it?" She smiled, pulling herself up a bit to reach over and kiss his cheek, her smile never fading, a blush never appearing.

Oh yes. The answer was obvious.

Happy with the whole night, despite the threat of Akatsuki intimidating their lives, he smiled contently, eyes watching the path before him.

Kirei had snuggled back to her original spot, trying to go back to sleep, unable to stop smiling. She could no longer deny that she really was in love with Uchiha Sasuke.

Now she had to find a way to _**say**_ it.


	16. Sleep

_****_

The Actors

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD

_Notes:_ See Chapter 17 for notes!!! :D

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!

* * *

_Chapter 16 – Sleep_

* * *

Since the fire nearly a week and a half ago, life was the best it could possibly be for everyone.

Sasuke and Kirei nearly spent all of their time together, at least when he wasn't away on missions that seemingly lasted forever. When this happened, Kirei never stayed at her loft alone, favoring to stay at the Mansion with Naruto or having someone spend the night. Otherwise, Sasuke slept at Kirei's.

He never let her come to his home to spend the night, favoring her house more than his. She could work on her art, sleep in her own room and most of all, watch her favorite movie without the threat of Itachi snickering or spying on them.

Sasuke loved his brother, but he wouldn't put Kirei through dealing with him just for spending the night.

What he didn't know was that Itachi and Kirei were good friends. When he was away on missions, every other day she'd walk up to the Akatsuki grounds and spend the day there. She found friendships she wasn't expecting to make with Hidan and Kakuzu, who saw her as a little sister. Konan taught her more and more Origami, even though Kirei had troubles with getting a lot of paper cuts. Pein, Kisame and Zetsu usually were very quiet and kept to themselves.

Itachi explained about them when Kirei asked. Pein was always a quiet person, only talking when he needed or when Konan was around. Zetsu was an actual schizophrenic, but he just preferred to stay away from people. Kisame on the other hand, was just shy. He continued to tell her that eventually he'd warm up.

With being around people nearly all the time, the Fake Akatsuki attacks had lessened. Only a few days afterward, it was confirmed that the Arcade fire was an arson, that someone had set the machine on fire, just like Sasuke thought. Since then, that looming feeling hadn't come back into his heart.

At least until a few days after he got back from another mission.

* * *

It was a strange thing they were supposed to after reporting to the Hokage when getting home from a mission. Instead of heading home and cleaning up, they were to report to the filming grounds. Why? No one was really sure, seeing as how they never did anything.

He yawned as he walked up, noticing a few of his friends at the food table, chatting. What brought his attention was the manner in which they were speaking; hushed and worried.

Hinata was the first one to see him, giving a small smile, standing on the other side of the table. "Hey, Sasuke."

He nodded, noticing that neither one of the blondes were at the grounds. How he knew? It was very, very quiet. "Hey."

Turning at the voice, Sakura saw him, a questioning look on her face. "Sasuke, you haven't seen Kirei yet, have you?"

He thought it was an odd question, frowning at her. Kirei was always here when he got back from missions. By now he'd've been glomped by his blonde. "No, she's usually here with you guys." He answered.

Sakura shot a look to Hinata, who shared that look with Kiba, who stood beside the blue haired girl.

He didn't fail to notice the look. "Why?"

"Well, Sasuke," Kiba started off with a sigh, shutting his eyes. "While you were away on your mission, Naruto got hurt."

Sasuke brought narrowed eyes to the Inuzuka. "Hurt as in?"

"Apparently he was attacked last night." Hinata explained, knowing the details all to well. She'd been the first one to see him in the hospital when they let her. "He's in bad shape."

Sakura saw the slightly shocked look on Sasuke's face, continuing from where Hinata left off. "And Kirei hadn't arrived when we got here earlier, so we decided not to tell her until you get back."

They all knew she would've broken down if he wasn't there to help her through it.

"So when she came this morning, we acted as normal as possible," Hinata stated, remembering the events. "But I think she noticed…and now with her gone, we think someone told her."

"Told who what?" The director came up, grabbing a bagel from the table, lathering it with butter.

All four looked over at him.

"Did you tell Naruto's cousin about how he's hurt?" Sakura asked, green eyes watching the larger man spread the butter.

Taking a bite after setting down the knife, he nodded. "Of course. Seeing as how you people didn't, I figured it'd be good for her to know."

Kiba sighed heavily.

Hinata closed her eyes, putting her head in her hand, shaking her head. "Oh god…."

"We should check the hospital." The pink haired said, throwing her donut back on the table. All of a sudden, she didn't have an appetite.

Before anyone could blink, Sasuke was gone.

"_**What**_?" The director asked, bagel in one hand, some crumbs on his goatee. "What'd I do?"

Kiba, Hinata and Sakura walked away from the table, sighing and shaking their heads.

It wasn't his fault, this they knew, but it still made them hurt. It wasn't a happy sight to see Kirei in pain, even if they couldn't _**see**_ her. Somehow, knowing both of the blondes were hurt, one physical, the other emotional, didn't set well within their hearts.

* * *

Walking into the white building he most hated, he wrinkled his nose at the potent smell of the sick and dying. Even though he feared this place for his life, his worry for Kirei overwhelmed his fear.

He walked through the entrance, avoiding a speeding bed with a sick patient on it, a few nurses wheeling him along, heading for the elevator. It was only a moment later that he reached the receptionist's desk, watching how she wheeled back and forth from the desk he was at to one behind her. She didn't even notice him.

Instead of asking her if she'd seen his blonde because she was obviously very busy, he passed the desk, looking around the first floor, trying to find the waiting area.

It was around here _**somewhere**_, wasn't it? Yes, indeed it was. Looking to his right he found the waiting area, black eyes focusing on one point.

Kirei was definitely there, hunched over in one of the plastic seats, elbows on her knees, hands covering her face. Anyone could see that she was clearly in emotional pain.

His gaze turned soft, sighing a huge sigh of relief; at least she was safe. He walked over, all sounds being drowned out of his thoughts. "Hey." He spoke softly, kneeling down in front of the seated blonde.

She hiccupped, recognizing the voice. "Sasuke?" She asked, removing her hands from her face while wiping tears from her cheeks.

Onyx meeting blue, he smiled just a bit.

She nearly jumped from her seat, throwing her arms around his neck, hands lacing into his hair as she buried her face within his neck. "They won't…" She mumbled, feeling his hands on her back, rubbing up and down. "…won't let me see him…"

"Shh…" He soothed, closing his eyes while petting her hair. "It's okay, Princess."

She shook her head as much as she could, hands gripping his hair. "No, it's not." It _**wasn't**_ okay. A huge part of her life, of her own world was lying somewhere on a hospital bed, injured and she couldn't see him.

Sasuke sighed. What a time for her to be stubborn. "Come on," He began, trying to stand up while pulling her up as well. It was an easy feat, seeing as how Kirei was so light compared to him. "We'll head home, let Naruto heal a bit…and come back tomorrow, okay?"

She planted her toes on the ground, needing to stand on her tip toes to reach his neck. "I don't wanna go home." She mumbled, trying not to fall, balancing on her toes. "Nut-uh, no."

He sighed once more, smiling a bit from hearing her child like voice. It was always adorable to hear her speak like that, no matter her emotion. "We can't stay here all night."

"Can we go to your house?" She asked softly, knowing he didn't like to take her there, but it was the only place she wanted to go. She didn't want her home – no, too many threats there, too many memories as well – nor the Mansion – way too many memories and hurt – but to his house. She figured that if she always felt safe with Sasuke, she'd feel the same thing in his house.

Eyes a little wide, he looked down at the blonde, finding a peaking blue eye looking back at him. He surely wasn't expecting the question. "Uh…"

She released him, bringing her hands to hold his, putting her feet flat on the ground, keeping her sight on the ground as well. "_**Please**_?"

How could he resist her pleading? Simple.

He couldn't.

"Okay, Princess." He was met with a glomp. "But just this _**once**_, okay?"

She nodded against his chest, a small smile gracing her lips. She could hear his heartbeat again. "Thank you."

"We'll stop by home and get you some stuff and then go." He took her from his arms, keeping an arm around her waist, while leading her out of the hospital.

In the crook of his arm, she snuggled close to him, eyes closed. As long as Sasuke was with her. As long as he was there, right beside her. At the moment, that was all that mattered to her. "Mmkay."

Walking out of the hospital, he kissed her locks, smiling, still leading her along. His worries about her were gone and he could call the hospital later to find out Naruto's condition. Right now, he wanted to be right there with her.

He had to admit to himself that he was in deep. He'd do near anything for Kirei, even if he despised it. Oddly enough, that was okay for him. _'I guess you really do do crazy things when you're in love.'_

* * *

Arriving at the manor filled with memories that were good and bad, Sasuke hesitantly opened the front door, poking his head in first, looking back and forth.

With some luck, maybe Itachi would be somewhere else.

"Welcome home!" He called from another room, knowing it was Sasuke. "Or should I call it the place you visit once in a blue moon?"

Unfortunately for Sasuke, his luck was horribly bad.

Sighing, he entered the house, his one hand holding Kirei's bag, the other latched with the blonde's hand, leading her inside. He slipped off his shoes, looking at the messy state his house was in. Why couldn't Itachi clean once in a while? "Sorry for the mess the house is in…" He rubbed his neck sheepishly as Kirei slipped off her shoes, looking at the house.

_**Mess**_? What mess? By Kirei's eyes, the house was nearly clean!

She smiled nonetheless, coming up beside him, leaning her head on his shoulder. "It's a lovely house."

Placed in front of her was the gigantic living room, outfitted with a couch that could easily fit 5 to 6 people, two tables placed on each side, a large flat-screen tv mounted on the wall on the opposite side of the couch. If she walked a few steps ahead, she was met with a staircase, leading to the upstairs that could easily be seen. There were four doors she could see, one directly across from the top of the stairs, continuing down away from her current spot. The next door was the same as the first, facing the same way, while the third door was on a diagonal wall, facing her at an angle. The "hallway" from there turned left, leaving the last door near the center of that part, facing her squarely.

Coming back down to the living room, she saw on the far end, below the last door was a room separator, complete with a window that allowed the viewer to view into the large, white Uchiha kitchen. The separator wasn't completely separating the two rooms, a large doorway allowing entrance into the kitchen.

The last thing Kirei could almost see was the room to her right, a large open door way allowing her to see something like a pool table and another tv, but more than that, she couldn't see.

"Plus, I'm an artist. I'm messy. You've seen my house." She added as he led her inside, Itachi coming out from the kitchen, a sandwich in his hand.

When he saw the blonde right beside Sasuke, he stopped dead, sandwich slipping from his hand and hitting the floor with a splat. He was absolutely shocked to see her, knowing that Sasuke never, ever wanted to bring her here. "Hi." He finally said, finding his voice after a minute of staring.

Kirei arched an eyebrow first, then offered a small smile. "Hey there."

"Can't you at least pick up the sandwich?" Sasuke asked, the sandwich litter on the floor bugging the raven's mind. He hated to see things lying around in his own house.

Itachi shook his head a bit, watching the two walk further into the house, plopping onto the couch. "Oh yeah." He knelt down, keeping a stealthy eye on the two, smiling.

Kirei's bag had been placed on the side of the couch, while she was pulled onto his younger brother, curling up with him. "I think I wanna see your room, Emo kid."

Sasuke sighed first, almost looking as if he'd say yes. "No. We're just gonna stick to the couch tonight, okay?"

"Aw, come on…" She pulled a pout, setting her chin on his shoulder, looking into onyx eyes with a pouting lip and big blue eyes. "Please?"

Despite the pout and how the Uchiha normally couldn't resist, he did. "No," He said with a tone that was neither angry nor upset, simply telling her not to continue the subject. "We'll stay down here."

She let out a sigh, a smile slipping onto her face. "You're so mean." She toyed.

He kissed the tip of her nose, showing a small smile. "My job, thank you."

She giggled, able to tear her eyes away, setting her head on his shoulder. "You're welcome."

Itachi still hadn't picked up his sandwich, too busy watching the two. Seeing the way Kirei acted wasn't all that surprising, nor Sasuke, but it finally sank in that Itachi's little brother was back.

He always wondered if he would ever be back, knowing and yet not knowing what he went through, seeing his younger brother slowly spiral into depression. He became quieter and darker, clearly able to see the rings underneath his eyes from his lack of sleep. Every day at the same time, he'd walk the streets, sometimes not even coming back until daylight.

At first, Itachi thought he'd get over it. When he soon realized that Sasuke _**wouldn't**_ get over it, he hoped to god there was something to bring the only member of his family back.

It appeared as if god answered his hopes in the form of a slightly rambunctious blonde who had done what he thought was impossible.

What brought him from his thoughts was the suddenly large grumble, bringing him to look at the source of the sound.

"I should've known…" Sasuke mumbled with a smile, shaking his head.

Kirei giggled first, trying to hide her laughter, but was unsuccessful. "…Uh, yeah," She began, getting up and cracking her fingers.

Sasuke got up as well, sighing. Why didn't he know she was going to be hungry? Kirei was _**always**_ hungry. "We'll get something to eat."

"Yay!" She cried, letting Sasuke lead her to the kitchen. "I'm so hungry!"

Sasuke was about to follow her until he saw Itachi, still standing there, a smile on his face. "Hey, Kirei, you go ahead and get something, okay?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow.

"Sure!"

"I need a favor to ask." Sasuke began with a sigh, watching how his older brother kept smiling. He, in turn, glared.

Itachi was unfazed, chuckling a bit. How Sasuke managed to suddenly change personality, Itachi would never know. "What's up?"

"The only reason I brought her here is because Naruto's in the hospital." He explained, seeing the somewhat shocked look on his brother's face. "Yeah, we don't know what's going on, she wasn't allowed to see him."

Itachi looked away, surprised to hear it. With the Kyuubi, Naruto should've been able to heal quickly, so if he was in the hospital and family wasn't allowed to see him, it must've been bad. "You want me to check for you?"

"If you wouldn't mind…I'm trying to keep Kirei's mind off it." He answered, nodding.

Reaching his hand out, Itachi ruffled his brother's hair, ignoring the fact that Sasuke started growling and the threat that Sasuke would bite him. "How sweet." He smiled. "Of course I will. I'll call up later, let you both get settled."

Despite his ruffled hair and growling, he was thankful for his older brother. "Thanks, Itachi."

Taking his sandwich with him to throw away in the upstairs garbage bag, he nodded. "No problem. I'll let you know what's going on later." He headed up the stairs and to the room parallel to the front door, his room. He'd stay there most of the night to give them some peace, not like they needed it.

The two were nearly attached at the hip.

Sasuke watched him to make sure his brother actually went into his room, instead of spying on himself and Kirei, because he knew Itachi would try. When the door to his room shut, satisfying Sasuke, he then turned walked into the kitchen, finding Kirei waiting for him. That was a little odd, seeing as how the blonde just ran through her refrigerator at home when she was hungry.

Seeing his look, she looked around at the clean kitchen. "I didn't know where anything was…and you hate messes," She shot him a sly smile, always finding it weird how much he cleaned her own house and hated to see messes just lying around. "So, I kinda thought I'd let you get stuff out."

He knew she thought it was a little strange, but it was true. He'd always hated messes, having a natural compulsion to clean them. "Good idea." With him making dinner, he'd be able to make something she'd eat without making too much of a mess. It was a win-win situation for both of them. "Let's get something to eat, Princess."

She giggled happily, wondering where she should stand to help until Sasuke made her sit down at the table. Of course. Happy and out of the way, unable to make a mess. "Can we watch a movie afterward?"

He smiled, washing his hands first. Knowing her, she'd pick Beauty and the Beast or some other Disney movie she loved. "Sure." As long as she was happy, that was all that mattered.

Head in her palm, she smiled, wondering what movie to pick. There were a lot of choices and she didn't want to put Sasuke through yet another mushy love story that Disney did and yet, what else could she watch to make her happy?

Did it matter?

Kirei thought, watching him with dreamy eyes, focused and unfocused eyes. They weren't aware of seeing him, but followed his every movement. "No." She whispered, shaking her head slightly. It didn't matter what movie they watched. All that mattered to her was that Sasuke was there.

"What was that?" He asked, shooting a glance to his blonde, swearing her heard her say something.

She opened her mouth to speak, knowing exactly what she wanted to try to say. _"I love you."_ But her mouth became dry, her words caught in her throat. Damn it. Sighing once more, she closed her eyes, a bit unhappy. "Nothing."

He detected the unhappy tone in her voice, looking over to find her eyes closed. He didn't like that tone in her voice, not used to hearing it at all. He wouldn't pursue why she was suddenly unhappy, knowing she'd tell him eventually. "Okay."

She always told him what was going on.

* * *

It was a good 5, maybe 10 minutes before Itachi heard the delightful and surprised squeals from Kirei, even though he was up in his own room.

If he listened hard enough, he could hear his brother laughing as well.

It made him grin, knowing that both of them were happy and that his little brother was back for good.

At least, Itachi hoped.

* * *

"I guess I'll hafta get a new bottle of whipped cream…" Sasuke mumbled, a smile on his face. Seeing as how the previous one exploded all over himself and Kirei, he'd have to go buy another one. Whipped cream was another of the few sweets that he could eat and that he liked eating.

Kirei couldn't stop her laughter, swiping some of the white cream from her cheek and eating it. Her stomach had grumbled before, but she didn't feel all like eating, her mind too focused on her injured cousin to care if she took care of herself.

Eyes focusing on the raven who watched her, she smiled. He was there, just like he'd promised her, to take care of her. To make sure she ate and slept, to make sure she was happy, doing whatever it took.

She didn't know what it was about him, maybe his calm demeanor that made her calmer, his sarcastic comments that always made her laugh, or even those endless onyx eyes of his that could coax anything out of her…_**whatever**_ it was, it made her happy.

It made her smile and laugh, giggle and sigh happily and most important of all, made her fall a little more in love.

"Come on, Princess," He said softly, seeing the dreamy look in her eyes that he loved to see. "Let's go watch that movie." He pulled her up, out of the chair, leading her into the living room.

"And leave the kitchen a mess?" She looked up at him, knowing the whipped cream everywhere had to be bothering her Uchiha. If he wanted to clean it up, she could wait a few minutes.

He chuckled softly, sitting on the couch and pulling her onto his lap, slipping his arms around her waist. He brought her close to him, close enough to where he could hear her heartbeat, something that he was starting to love. Burrowing his face in her neck, he whispered, "You are my _**only**_ priority. The kitchen can wait." He peaked up at her, seeing the smile on her face. That, in turn, made him smile. He shifted, keeping her with him, lying backwards on the couch so that if she was tired, she could sleep.

She definitely was smiling, snuggling into his warm chest. After all, he was her favorite pillow. "Thank you." She closed her eyes momentarily, sighing heavily. She wasn't sure why, but she felt tired.

Her body wasn't tired, she could've run a few laps and it still wouldn't be tired. After a moment, she realized it was her mind that was tired. She'd been worrying all day, wondering if her Nii-san was alright, if he'd be alright. She wasn't sure if she could live losing someone she loved again.

As she thought, the day's horrors and joys running through her mind, she felt something fuzzy and light fall on her. Only a second later, a hand ran underneath it, setting itself on her waist gently, rubbing back and forth. Sasuke must've set a blanket on them.

Despite the fact that he couldn't see her face, he could tell by her breathing that she was sleepy. It wasn't late out yet, but Kirei'd had a long day; she was probably tired out of her mind. So, turning on the tv even though he wasn't watching it, he smiled, shifting slightly to make it more comfortable.

Slowly drifting into La-la land with the mindless drabble of the commercials on tv, the warmth from the blanket and Sasuke warming her bones and the steady breathing and beating that lulled her to sleep, Kirei wasn't sure what to make of the sudden soft feeling on the top of her head, gently pushing her hair and then disappearing.

Sighing, she realized what it was, a small smile crossing her lips.

A goodnight kiss.

* * *

Itachi was hungry.

This, he could no longer deny.

He should've known, seeing as how the last chance he had to eat was when Sasuke came home. Speaking of which, he didn't even get to eat the whole of that sandwich since it'd fallen on the floor.

Sighing, he looked at the clock on the dresser. It was after midnight, almost going on one o'clock. Kirei and Sasuke had to be in bed by now, or at least asleep enough for him to sneak downstairs and get something to eat.

Shutting off the lights in his room as to not disturb the two downstairs, he opened the door and stalked down the hallway, continuing down the steps.

Coming up on the couch, Itachi completely stopped, his grin wide. "I can't let them get away with _**this**_…" He mouthed, knowing his brother was a very light sleeper.

Although…As he walked further across the room, the two sleeping on the couch coming into better view, he wondered if his brother could hear him. If he could, he certainly hadn't made it obvious. Actually, to Itachi, it looked as if he was in a deep sleep.

He'd known that the two "slept" together, but never had the chance to sneak in and see it. Now that Kirei was over here, he got his chance. He took out his phone, not to take a picture…just to alert some other curious minds.

It was a much better sight in person than in a picture.

Letting out a sigh, Kirei was asleep on top of Sasuke, halfway curled up like she'd been up near the tree, her hands soft and loose, gently resting on his chest. It was apparent that Sasuke's hand was on her waist, able to see a strange bump in the dip where her waist would be.

A smile rested on both their faces and Itachi took this chance to memorize his brother's smile, certain he'd see it again with Kirei around, but wouldn't take the chance that he might not.

A slight tap from the back door in the kitchen brought him from his thoughts. "Right on time." Just as he turned around and walked into the kitchen, the tap was not louder, but more frantic. "I bet its Deidara who's tapping…" He mumbled, opening the door.

To no surprise, there was the blonde, blue-gray eyes alive with color, smiling at the Uchiha. "Where is she, uh?" He asked excitedly, knowing the Cutie had something to do with the text.

Behind him was a shaggy redhead, dark eyes half-lidded, his hands in his jacket pockets. Sasori wished he could go back to bed, dreading the text Itachi'd sent them moments before, awaking the blonde and sending him into a squealing frenzy. He sighed.

A white haired man was behind Sasori, wearing nothing but a pair of drawstring pants, his Jashin pendant around his neck able to be seen in the moonlight. His lavender eyes were slightly droopy, still rubbing sleep from his eyelids. "This better be good or you're getting your ass kicked, Itachi." He threatened.

Lastly, Kakuzu was behind Hidan, having also been woken up by the text. He didn't have to come, according to Hidan, who was spending the night at his house. "Oh, shut it, Hidan. You're excited, too."

Before they could make any more noise and maybe wake Sasuke and Kirei, Itachi led them inside, stopping at the kitchen doorway. With a sly smile on his face, he pointed into the living room. "_**They**_ are in there." He whispered.

Deidara gasped silently, eyes widening happily. Before anyone could stop him, he ran into the living room.

"_**They**_?" Hidan questioned, eyebrow arched, smile on his face.

Itachi nodded, unable to stop smiling. "They."

"Adorable." Sasori said unemotionally, eyes still half-lidded as always. "Can we go back home and sleep no – "

Sasori was rather rudely interrupted as Deidara ran back into the kitchen, his grin wider than usual, a very tiny squeal coming from his mouth. He tugged gently on the Akasuna's sleeve, looking up at his boyfriend with pleading eyes. "Oh, please, Danna, uh!! You've _**got**_ to let me take a picture, uh!!"

He arched an eyebrow. Was the sight worth that much? Looking over at Itachi, who was still smiling, he realized it was very much. Itachi never smiled that much, ever before. "I'm not sure you should be asking me that, Dei."

"Oh, come on, uh, you've gotta see!!" He whispered, still holding his Danna's sleeve while pulling him into the living room.

Hidan and Kakuzu followed suit, Itachi bringing up the rear.

Deidara pulled Sasori all the way to the edge of the couch, pointing and smiling so much, Sasori worried that his blonde would squeal and wake up the two.

The two, of course, were Kirei and Sasuke, still dead asleep on the couch, smiles on their faces. The blanket on top of them made it even cuter.

"You can take a picture if you want, Deidara." Itachi barely said, pulling out his own phone. He had Sasuke's baby pictures to use for blackmail, but this would be the Holy Grail. Especially with the smile on the raven's face.

Before anyone could blink, Deidara had his phone out, camera on, snapping so many pictures, he'd never be able to stop smiling.

After a minute or two, Hidan also took out his phone. He could use it to torture Sasuke more, whenever the bastard decided to come up and see them.

Sasori and Kakuzu had the same thinking – they'd get theirs from their respective partners and maybe from anyone else – which of course, brought them to watch with soft, sleepy eyes.

"Just don't get too clo –" Itachi warned, seeing the overexcited blonde get a little too close to the side table, elbow hitting a small photo frame and knocking it straight to the floor.

All five of them watched the photo fall to the wooden floor with a loud Thunk, startling all of them.

Kirei and Sasuke's eyes flashed open, hearing the loud crash right near them. Oddly enough, nothing seemed changed in the dark house.

Sitting up slightly, Kirei looked up at Sasuke, eyes full of worry. "What was that?" She asked, hoping he would know, seeing as how he knew the house better than she.

He shook his head slightly, trying to spot if anything was out of place. So far, it wasn't. "I'm not sure." He said softly.

Hidden behind the couch, all five Akatsuki sighed the largest, quietest sigh they could muster. They'd dashed behind the couch before the two had been able to see them.

"Get up for a minute, Kirei." Sasuke commanded softly, watching his blonde worry. He wasn't sure what the thunk was, but he'd kill whatever it was. No one _**dare**_ woke his blonde, let alone himself.

"Mmkay." She complied, keeping the blanket wrapped around her shoulders, letting her raven get up from the warm couch. She watched him walk a few steps and lean over, picking something up.

He hadn't seen it, more of bumping it with his foot, but reached down, grasping whatever it was in his hands. "A photo?" He questioned, setting it back on the table where it should be.

Of course, a photo never fell off a table by itself. Something – or _**someone**_ – had to have knocked it off. Which meant someone, other than the three of them, was in the house.

"I'm gonna check around the house." He stated, looking over at a worried Kirei. He didn't want to leave her alone in the dark house by herself, but his mind told him to find out who else was in the house.

The five Akatsuki stiffened, knowing that if Sasuke found them, they'd all get it for waking them up. Sasuke always hated to be woken up and if _**he**_ hated to be woken up, he'd _**kill**_ them for waking Kirei up.

Still sitting on the couch, Kirei also had the feeling someone else was in the house. How else could the photo have fallen? But she also had some feeling that it wasn't anyone bad. Plus, she didn't want to be left alone. Not tonight.

She got up, keeping the blanket around her, covering the bare shoulders her tank top didn't, her sweatpants baggy, almost tripping her up. Able to make out where he was, she walked up to him, feet feeling the cold sting of the wooden floorboards on her feet, setting her head and hands on his chest, closing her eyes. "Uh-uh." She began, childlike. "Don't leave."

Hearing this, the Akatsuki took their chance to slowly sneak up the back of the couch, hoping to catch a glimpse without being seen. Fortunately for them, they got the cutest sight that night.

Sasuke looked down at his blonde, impulsively putting his arms around her. Using his knuckles, he rubbed up and down her back gently, thinking. If he went back to sleep – which he was sleeping very well – she could easily be picked up and taken away. Although, she'd wake up and start screaming, allowing him to get her back. On the other hand, if he stayed awake and looked around, she'd follow him and stay awake most of the night –

"_**Please**_?" She wasn't sure why she was feeling as "needy" as she was tonight, not wanting him to leave her side, but she was. She didn't want to be alone anymore.

The time before she knew and loved Sasuke, yes, she could put up with being alone, finding a way to entertain herself. Now, when she knew him as well as she knew herself and loved him, it was hard to be alone. There wasn't an easy way to deal with it; everything she did reminded her of him.

He sighed, setting his head on top of hers, mouth and nose nearly buried in her hair. "Okay, Princess."

Deidara nearly squealed at her nickname, Hidan and Sasori holding back a few chuckles. Itachi and Kakuzu were smiling.

Kirei sighed happily, letting Sasuke lead her back to the couch and guided her back to her favorite pillow. He even rearranged the blanket for her, trying not to move as to wake her up further. "Thank you." She mumbled, burying herself in the blanket, snuggling as close as she possibly could to him.

Sasuke waited until she stopped moving and became comfortable before setting his hand on her waist, thumb rubbing back and forth. His other hand combed through her bangs softly, letting her silky hair slip through his fingers, then gathering them again. This would put her back to sleep quickly. "Good night, Princess."

Before falling back into La-la Land, Kirei couldn't take the smile off her face.

Sasuke watched her, swearing she mumbled something to him, but was unable to make it out. When he looked down at her and realized she was asleep, he let it go, kissing her locks. "I love you."

He understood why she wanted him to go back to sleep, feeling that same need of someone being there with him before. He'd wanted her to be right with him, not letting anyone take her away from him. Asleep or not, she'd always comforted him, having the ability to calm him down with just a soft sigh, or a look from those pristine blue eyes of hers.

And now, she was feeling the same way. Having someone in the hospital, when they weren't allowed to see them was scary. Especially since it was Kirei, a girl who became emotionally attached to anyone who became a major part of her life.

Sasuke noticed this about her. If he was not in a happy mood, Kirei became unhappy. If Naruto was in a bouncy mood, so was Kirei. It seemed to him that other's emotions affected her own and yet, she was also able to have control over her own emotions and let them affect others in the way that affected her.

If he was in that bad mood, she found a way to change it. She had the ability to change his emotion by "influencing" it with hers. With her around, Sasuke never remained upset for long.

Shaking his head as he watched her sleep, he smiled. What a strange creature Kirei was. What a strange, lovely creature indeed.

* * *

Itachi was the first one to move, vanishing and reappearing in the kitchen. Seconds later, the other's followed, everyone in smiles.

""_**Princess**_", huh?" Hidan asked, arching an eyebrow at Itachi. If Itachi knew everything – as he always did – he knew the meaning behind the nickname.

He nodded. "Princess. It's what he calls her, ever since he started when they went to Prom."

"Aw, uh, how cute!!" Deidara cried softly.

"Yeah, but I want to get back to sleep. Go home." Itachi stated in the blandest voice he could muster, onyx eyes happy, but half-lidded.

Sasori and Kakuzu were thankful, despite the fact that they finally got to see Kirei and Sasuke together. They were tired as hell, also longing for their beds.

"No problem," Sasori stated, wrapping an arm around his blonde, who didn't seem to protest. "Let's go home, Dei-Dei."

Deidara opened his mouth to speak in protest, but found he was no longer in the Uchiha household. He sighed, feeling the grip on his waist tighten. "Alright, uh. Bedtime."

Itachi saw them leave and looking around, Hidan and Kakuzu were gone as well, leaving him in the sweet silence of his kitchen.

Stomach growling, he could now make that sandwich that he'd been dying for.

* * *

When Itachi walked out the kitchen as silent as he could, the already half eaten sandwich in his mouth, another not eaten sandwich in his hand, he stopped dead.

Sasuke was awake. Staring at him.

He swallowed before he tried to speak. "I didn't know you were awake."

"Were you in the kitchen this whole time?" The younger raven asked as softly as he could.

Itachi nodded, taking another bite. "Yeah…it seemed like Kirei was pretty scared…so I just stayed in the kitchen. I didn't want to frighten her further." He lied, smirking a bit when he saw the smile on his brother's face when he watched the blonde in his arms.

"Thanks." Sasuke sighed, motioning his brother to sit down. "It's okay," He assured, seeing the concerned look on his brother's face, shifting slightly as Kirei yawned. "She won't wake up."

"Alright." Itachi sat in the chair next to the couch, watching the two of them and how cute they were. Almost opposites, yet both knew each other so well.

Sasuke watched her sleep for a few minutes, sitting up slightly, just enough to see the smile on her face. "How's Naruto?"

It took a minute for Itachi to answer, his thoughts too focused on them and how cute they'd be in a few years. "Oh yeah," He took another bite of his sandwich, gulping before answering. "When I called up a few hours ago, he was still in surgery."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow at his brother. "_**Surgery**_?" As long as he'd known the older blonde, Naruto had never needed surgery, let alone going to the hospital. The Kyuubi's chakra always healed him before he needed surgery.

Itachi nodded. "Yeah, it surprised me too. That's when the Yondaime told me what's going on."

"Minato was allowed to see him?" Sasuke was even more confused. Kirei was family just as Minato was, so why could he see him and Kirei couldn't?  
He shook his head. "No. When Tsunade found out he was there, she talked to him. And after that, he overheard the receptionist talking to me and he picked up the phone, knowing I'd tell you and then you'd tell Kirei." Itachi explained with a smile. His smile soon turned into a frown, continuing on. "Apparently, Tsunade thinks that Naruto was attacked by someone who knew what they were dealing with. The Kyuubi, I mean."

Sasuke tilted his head, eyes narrowing a bit in confusion. What was Itachi talking about? The only one's who were "specified" to deal with tailed beasts, at least in the show, were the Akatsuki…which meant Itachi knew about the fake Akatsuki.

"Yes, I know about the fake Akatsuki, Sasuke." He knew the look on his younger brother's face, the disbelieving look. "They've come to all of us before, asking us if we wanted to join, but we refused."

Sasuke sighed in relief. He wasn't sure if he could deal with his brother being in the one thing that threatened his life and his world. "What did they attack him with?"

"Some type of weapon that blocked the Kyuubi's chakra, as she explained. That's why he was in surgery. He's out by now, so you can probably go take her to see him tomorrow." He motioned toward the sleeping blonde, seeing her smile fade just a bit.

Sasuke saw this as well, also seeing as how she began to fidget. To calm her, he began brushing back her bangs with his left hand, right hand caressing her waist. "_**Jeez**_," He began, watching her. "It's like she knows we're talking about him."

Itachi was silent, eating and watching how his brother was able to calm her down in her sleep with just a few movements. He smiled, taking a small sigh.

"Shh…" He whispered, although he didn't need to. Kirei wouldn't've heard him anyway. "It's okay, he'll be fine."

It was a minute before the blonde calmed down, whining ever so softly, burying her face into her favorite pillow, snuggling up to him.

"She's cute." Itachi mumbled, watching her.

Sasuke missed this, his eyes and thoughts too focused upon the sleeping creature on his lap. "Going back to bed anytime soon, Itachi?" He asked, feeling his own eyelids get heavy. He'd been woken from a deep sleep – something he hadn't had for a while – and it made him incredibly tired. So now, letting a deep sigh out, he looked over at his brother and seeing him, glared.

Itachi was looking at the two of them, a goofy smile on his face, eyes rather dreamy. "Oh, don't give me that. I'm your older brother."

"Go to bed before I maul you."

Chuckling, Itachi got up, one sandwich devoured, the other getting there. He walked over to his younger brother, tousling his hair slightly. "Yeah, I'm heading up now. I have an errand to run in the morning, but I'll be quiet."

Sasuke watched him head upstairs, shaking his head to get his hair somewhat normal. "Thanks, Aniki." He mumbled, shifting back down into the couch and closing his eyes.

Itachi stopped, his hand wavering above the railing. It'd been more than 10 years since Sasuke had called him that.

A smile crossing the Uchiha's lips, he continued to head up to his room, taking a glimpse or two on the couch realizing something that made him happier than ever before.

His younger brother was definitely back.


	17. Love

_****_

The Actors

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD

_Notes:_ Oh, you're all going to kill me. I know it. Just wait. You'll see what I'm talking about soon enough. These chapters (16 and 17) were actually one chapter. When I realized it would be about 45 pages long, I thought…well…I didn't want to take the chance of it being too long. So, I'm uploading both chapters at once, so it flows alright. :D As always, I hope you like this chapter and hate me for it!!

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!

* * *

_Chapter 17 - Love_

* * *

Sasuke took a deep breath, the slight sunlight of morning penetrating his eyelids, waking him up. Even though he couldn't pull as big a breath as usual, he understood why he couldn't.

Kirei was still sleeping on top of him, his hand still resting upon her waist.

A small smile crossed his lips as his eyes fluttered open, expecting to find the blonde curled up with him, dead asleep as always.

Sasuke's eyes widened ever so slightly when he found Kirei awake, glowing blue eyes set low, watching him.

"You're adorable when you're sleeping." She whispered, smiling at him with a soft smile, her head resting on her hands, eyes looking up to his.

Sasuke could feel a flame rise in his cheeks, pulling just a bit away from her, eyes unable to look away from the trance Kirei's held on them. He opened his mouth slightly, to say something back, but found his voice caught in that same trance.

She giggled, smile growing wider. "You're also adorable when you blush." She picked up her head, reaching up and kissing him gently, feeling a smile on his lips.

It was a minute before he spoke, his voice finally finding words. "And here I thought I was adorable _**all**_ the time."

"Nope." Kirei stated as flatly as she could, only lasting for a few seconds before laughing.

Sasuke smiled, hearing her laugh, seeing the large smile on her face. "You're adorable when you're laughing." Having her right there, his hand already on her waist, he poked her sides, the only place where she was ticklish.

She squealed loudly, jumping up to a sitting position, her normal reaction from being poked. "Stop it!!" She yelled, a smile on her face, her hands reaching to cover her sides.

He followed her, sitting up and crawling toward her as she crawled backward. "Why should I when you love it?"

She felt the edge of the couch on her back, blue eyes traveling up to meet black eyes, feeling her heart race. She had nothing to say back because she did love it, a smile on her lips.

"That's what I thought." He smiled, crawling closer, nearly on top of her, gently kissing the clavicle bone that was exposed, thanks to the tank top that the blonde always slept in.

She removed her hands from her sides, slipping them onto his broad shoulders as he followed her clavicle all the way up her neck, planting soft kisses on her pulse, hearing her giggle.

When he looked up at her, lips drawn not even an inch away, he found her eyes closed, smile on her face. "Your bangs are tickling me."

He smiled, seeing those blue eyes open and look down at him sweetly. "Oh, are they now?"

She let her hands slip over his shoulders, fingers gently grazing his shirt, then his skin as they moved up his neck, tracing his arteries and jaw, moving across his face, pulling his bangs back as her fingers interweaved into his hair, gripping slightly.

Wow, oh _**wow**_ was Sasuke right.

Kirei's hand felt great on his skin…

"Better?" He asked, shutting his eyes, placing his lips on her pulse, feeling how fast her heart was beating.

"Uh…huh…" She mumbled, eyes slipping shut as her thoughts became clouded, subconsciously lifting her head, giving him better access to her neck.

He smiled against her silky skin, his thoughts also foggy, but not as near as hers. He had to keep them clear to know when to stop.

That was the most important thing to him; not the fact he was kissing her, touching her…no, none of it mattered. Knowing when to stop, when to control himself was more important.

As he moved further up her neck, trailing kisses across her jaw and to her lips, hands reaching the hem of her shirt, thumbs trailing across it before slipping underneath, feeling soft, smooth skin against his calloused hands.

She shivered from his touch, hands griping his hair tighter, pulling away for only a second to breathe. After a breath, her lips were right back with his.

His kisses resumed, licking her lips to ask permission into her mouth, but he was denied. He wasn't mad, seeing as how Kirei probably didn't know what any of it meant. They continued to kiss, her hands still woven in his hair, his hands crept up further, past her belly button, which he traced a few times, her ribs, able to feel them ever so slightly. But as his hands crept further, kisses becoming harder, he knew it was time to stop. How he knew for certain?

Kirei hesitated.

Her grip loosened on his hair, her body stiffened from his touch and most of all, she nearly stopped kissing.

Not upset or angry, he closed his eyes, pulling away from her sweet tasting lips, fingers trailing down her stomach and out of her shirt. He sighed heavily, catching some of his breath back as he sat next to her.

"…I'm sorry…" Kirei mumbled, her right hand upon her left arm, turning her head away from him, eyes closed. She felt horrible, knowing she couldn't give him what he wanted.

He looked over at her, seeing how upset she looked. "Don't be." He reached out, tracing her jaw as he pulled her to face him. "Don't _**ever**_ be."

She didn't want to open her eyes, but she did, feeling his gaze on her. She looked down to her lap at first, eventually coming to meet the onyx eyes of her boyfriend.

He was smiling at her, trying to cheer her up. "Come here, Princess."

She did as she was told, crawling over the wrinkled blanket and into his arms, feeling him lie back onto the couch again. Oh, how she loved being there, sighing deeply, closing her eyes, a smile on her lips. "What time is it?" She asked as he stroked her hair, placing random kisses on the top of her head.

He was smiling as well, eyes closed. "I'm not sure." He really didn't care what time it was, as long as she was happy and with him, that was all he cared about.

Even if they never had sex because of her insecurities, that was okay. He cared much more about her than anything that had to do with sex.

"What are we doing today?" She asked, opening her eyes to look up at him. When she found his eyes closed, she watched him.

"I'm not sure." He repeated. It was a definite they were going to see Naruto, but they could do that later. They had the whole day ahead of them.

"What are you sure about?" She asked, a giggle coming through. She'd never heard Sasuke be this unsure about anything before.

He smiled, opening one eye to see her watching him again. "I'm sure that I love you." He reached down, kissing her forehead.

Kirei giggled, poking him. "You better be." She was met with an amused look before she yawned, setting her head back on his chest. "But, if you don't mind…"

He arched an eyebrow at his blonde, wondering what was on her mind. Kirei usually just did something, not even bothering to ask.

"I wanted to take a shower before seeing Nii-san today…"

"And you still don't want to go home?" He asked, still watching her. He knew her answer already, knowing she didn't want to go to far from him, even thought he'd stay at her house if she wanted to take a shower there.

She shook her head.

He sighed, smiling again. What a child his 18 year old was. "Okay then." He waited for her to get up, smiling at the fact that she still kept the blanket around her shoulders, picking up the bag she'd brought over. "You're gonna keep the blanket?" He asked, leading her upstairs.

She followed, not knowing the Uchiha household, nodding. "Yep. It's nice and warm. And it smells like you."

He shook his head at her. What funny creatures women were.

"What?" She asked with a smile, seeing him shaking his head. "It's a compliment."

Hooking an arm around her waist, he nodded. "I know." It was just a strange compliment for the raven, not used to hearing that he smelled good. With the arm around her shoulders, he had no trouble leading her to the upstairs bathroom, seeing how it was the room right across from the stairs. "Right here," He said, opening the door for her.

She smiled, seeing a rather plan bathroom in front of her. "Thanks."

It was nearly all white, having splashes of pastel colors set in the shapes of flowers along the wall, towels in the rack on the right matching the flowers. To her left was a counter, containing three drawers, a double door cabinet and three more drawers, full of who knows what. Knowing the Uchiha's and their hair, probably hair items. The sink was clean, the silver faucet looking like it was from the Ice Age because it was so old. Beside the sink was a soap dispenser, along with a rack for toothbrushes, holding 2 almost identical toothbrushes. Continuing down, the white mats under her feet, the toilet was also on her right, the shower at the very back of the tiled room. It was strange to see the shower, seeing as how it doubled as a bathtub as well.

What was stranger was that Sasuke didn't leave the room as she entered.

"…You're _**not**_ taking a shower with me." She said, arching an eyebrow at him as she set down her bag.

"I never said I was." He replied, a smile on his face, keeping his arm squarely around her shoulders. "But now that you mention it…" He kissed her cheek gently, smile wide.

She chuckled, shaking her head slightly. "_**No**_." She said firmly, looking over at him like a mother reprimanding her child, yet she was smiling. "Not in any way, shape or form, you perverted emo."

He play sighed, pretending he was disappointed, looking away from her. "I know. But before you can take a shower, you gotta know how it works. It's so old, we had to get your grandpa to look at it and even _**he**_ had to figure it out." He explained, seeing her ruffle her brows.

"…Okay. But after that, you have to get out." She agreed, wondering if her grandfather really did have to look at it.

"Okay." To show her how it worked, he had her sit, while he pulled the shower curtain back, stepping into the fiberglass tub. It was the easiest way to show her without blocking her view.

* * *

"See?" Sasuke asked as he finished showing Kirei the steps to operate the ancient shower. He'd made sure he didn't turn it on himself, seeing as how he was in the tub.

She nodded. "Yeah, I think." Reaching out, she preformed the same steps he did; turning the knob right, then left, pulling it up, then to the temperature she wanted. After that, Kirei smashed it back down, unlike how Sasuke gently put it down.

"Wait – " He reached out, trying to stop his blonde before the shower pulsed to life, soaking the raven.

Bursting into laughter, Kirei stood up, trying to find a way to shut it off before it completely soaked him.

Unfortunately for Sasuke, she'd found the combination to increase the pressure, soaking him even more. Sighing, he looked over at his blonde, smiling when he saw her watching him, laughing. "You know…" He started, standing directly in the path of the semi warm water.

She knew this playful tone in his voice, watching him with a wary eye, her smile widening. _'What is he up to…?'_

"Since I'm already wet and _**you're**_ the one taking a shower…" He smiled devilishly at her, stepping closer to her.

She caught on to what he was implying, seeing the smirk on his lips, the narrowing in his eyes as he blinked water out of them. "Sasuke, no." She said with a smile, trying to back up as she held her hands out defensively.

He smiled, moving closer to her, knowing he could easily pull her in with him. "Oh yes."

"_**No**_!" She laughed as she screamed, trying her best to move backwards without falling over.

* * *

Itachi entered his house, wondering if his brother and girlfriend were awake yet, making his entrance quiet as to not disturb them.

Sasuke'd nearly killed them the night before, so Itachi wasn't taking any chances.

"Sasuke, no."

He looked upstairs, hearing the laughter of Kirei and the shower running. Wait, why was the shower running? Furthermore, why was Kirei telling him _**no**_?

Itachi sighed, wondering if it was a good idea to go and look.

Walking over to the stairs, looking up and seeing the door open, the elder raven couldn't resist.

"Oh yes." His brother replied, a happy tone in his voice.

This furthered the raven's curiosity, making him go upstairs faster. He hadn't heard that happy tone in his brother's voice since Sasuke was a child.

"_**No**_!" Kirei laughed, making Itachi's curiosity increase.

He quickened his pace, getting up the stairs easily. He smiled as he saw them, standing in the door frame.

* * *

Kirei laughed, unable to get away from her boyfriend, feeling his wet but warm hands on her waist, lifting her into the tub with him. "Sasuke!!" She cried, feeling the water hit the top of the back of her head, water trickling down her hair.

He smiled, hearing her laugh, even laughing a bit himself. But just as he had her in his hands, lifting her over the tub wall, his bare foot slipped, bringing his other foot up and his body down.

Kirei shrieked as they fell, not expecting it, the water drenching her further. When she heard the thunk of Sasuke's back hitting the fiberglass tub, she grimaced. It sounded like it really hurt. "Are you okay?" She asked, looking at him with concern, blinking the water that dripped from her bangs onto her eyelids.

Despite the pain and the fact that he'd have a nice bruise on his back, he nodded. "Yeah," He said, loving the feeling that she was concerned for him. It just showed how much she loved him. "I'm okay."

"Will a kiss make it better?" She asked as she squirmed, the feeling of wet clothes on her skin, unable to stop smiling as well.

He smiled, making his eyes as big as he could, trying his best to pout like she did. "_**Maybe**_…"

She sighed, feeling her lips come into a smile, looking away from the raven who kept his sight directly on her. "Okay." She blushed, kissing him as sweetly as she could, feeling him smile against her lips.

"Just what exactly are you two doing?" Itachi asked, staring at the strange sight before him. He didn't want to interrupt the two's moment, but he had to ask.

His younger brother was on his back – in a shower, no less – his girlfriend on top of him, the shower curtain pulled back, the shower still running. What's better, they were kissing.

Breaking the kiss and sitting up, pulling Kirei up with him, Sasuke looked over at his brother, grabbing the curtain with one hand. "We're taking a shower, thank you very much. Now get out, you pervert." He said, smiling, as he shut the curtain.

Itachi stared.

Kirei laughed, not believing what just came out of Sasuke's mouth. She reached up, hooking some of his soaked hair behind his ear, kissing him again, sighing into the kiss. How she loved her Sasuke.

Sasuke kissed back, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him. When he broke the sweet tasting kiss for air, he sighed, feeling Kirei set her head on his chest again. "I love you so much, Kirei."

"Sasuke," She mumbled, shaking her head slightly to get rid of the water dripping in her eyes.

He looked down at her, wondering about the words that were going to come out of her mouth next, hoping they'd be those three little words he'd wished for.

"You have the exact same shampoo and conditioner as I do."

It wasn't what he was expecting, but Sasuke laughed.

Hearing his laugh, Itachi closed his eyes as he left the room, heading back downstairs as he shook his head. It was strange and yet exciting to know his brother was back. Sasuke was finally happy.

* * *

Shutting the shower off, Kirei poked her head out of the curtain, making sure her pervert of an emo boyfriend wasn't in the room.

Seeing that he wasn't, she reached for the towel that was left upon the toilet seat, smiling as she pulled it toward her, wrapping it around herself. She also found that her bag was missing – the one with her clothes, brushes, etc.

"Damn him." She mumbled, smiling although she was a little mad, stepping out, bare feet setting on moist tile, hearing a knock at the door.

"You finished?" Sasuke asked from the other side of the door, not entering until given permission.

She sighed. Of course. She should've known it was Sasuke. "I'd like my clothes…but seeing as how my bag is gone…"

"Yeah, I took the liberty of taking those…and your wet clothes. I threw them in the drier for you." He answered, shoulder leaning on the doorframe, staring off into space.

Shutting off the fan with a flick of one of the switches, she smiled, letting out a sigh. "What a sweetheart…" She mumbled, shaking her head slightly, smile on her face. "And yes, I'm done."

He waited for her to open the door, seeing as how the door swung in, he didn't want to hit her and possibly knock her to the floor. Plus, he knew all she had on was a towel and knowing how uncomfortable she could get, he let her open the door.

She opened the door slowly, holding the white towel with one hand, the other on the door, peaking out nervously. "…hey." She said quietly.

"I can keep my eyes closed if you want." He suggested, trying to keep his eyes from prying inside…

She looked down the hall – the one she hadn't seen from before, finding only two doors down there – feeling a small blush rise in her cheeks. "Um…"

He sighed, a smile on his face. "Come on, sweetie." He looked away from her, holding out a hand for her to take.

She shut off the light first, switching her hand that held the towel together as she opened the door wider, stepping out and setting her hand in Sasuke's. "Thank you, Sasuke."

He shot glances at her whenever he could, taking in bits and pieces of his drenched girlfriend, while also keeping the main of his sight off of her. He was a guy, after all.

That was when he caught sight of Itachi looking at the two from downstairs. "You _**pervert**_." He insulted, staring right at his brother, half smile on his face.

Itachi did see the two, but just because he looked at her didn't make him a pervert. So, he shook his head, turning away.

"That's right, you perv, look away." Sasuke continued, smiling as he led her down the hallway.

She laughed, never hearing Sasuke call anyone a pervert, let alone smile and joke around as much as he did now. "So, where are we going?"

His one hand with hers, he set his other hand on doorknob of the first door on the right; the door to his room. "My room."

"But I thought – " Kirei's jaw dropped, looking at Sasuke first, her eyes suddenly drawn to his room.

It wasn't near as messy as hers was, the deep blue carpet actually able to been seen, setting a very calm demeanor for the room. He had two dressers, one tall, one short, both on her right side, a large closet occupying the right side, another door beside the closet. In the back of the room, parallel with the back wall was his bed, another item in a deep color, making everything seem so soft. Beyond the bed was a window, the head of the bed beside the wall and away from the window. There was a bookcase beside his nightstand, lined with books, the last row empty.

All in all, it was Sasuke.

"Your bag's on the bed." He said, seeing the smile on her face as she examined his room.

She caught that, looking at him with a smile. "Thanks. Really."

He slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her just a bit closer to him, kissing her forehead gently. "Only for you."

She chuckled slightly, keeping her hand tight on her towel, loving the grip he always kept on her waist.

After a second or two, he said no goodbye, heading downstairs to let her get changed and do whatever it was girls did to get ready. She did smell good, though.

She watched him leave, stepping tenderly on the carpet in his room, taking in everything she saw. She shut the door gently, locking it behind her, setting her head on it. With a deep sigh, taking in the indescribable scent she loved, she closed her eyes. "We're so coming here more often."

* * *

"Done yet?" Sasuke asked, sitting outside the door to his room. He would've gone inside, but seeing how Kirei'd asked him to stay outside for a minute more, there he was, waiting for half an hour so far.

"Not yet." Kirei answered from the inside, already clothed in one of his shirts with a pair of jeans, braiding her nearly dry hair to save her time. Drying the almost 3 ft of hair was always a pain. As she did this, she sat on his bed, her bag of clothes and such on the floor, looking around his room further, almost like she was investigating it.

A room was like the insight to the person and as much as she knew Sasuke, she wanted to know more.

As she wrapped the hair tie around the edge of her hair, her eyebrows ruffled, eyes setting upon a very familiar object sitting on the nightstand next to his bed. "Okay," She said absentmindedly, reaching over for the object as Sasuke opened the door.

Entering his own room, he saw her reach for that object, a small smile on his face, walking over to her.

She smiled when she realized what it was, fingers gripping the wooden frame, bringing the photo back to her lap. Feeling the bed dip beside her, she hooked some hair behind her ear, looking up at him. "You fixed it." She said incredulously.

He smiled. "Of course I did." He pulled her closer by means of wrapping both arms around her waist, seeing her lift the photo and bring it with her. "You gave it to me."

"Well, yeah…" She began, letting her fingers trace the features of his face in the photo. "But I didn't think – "

He kissed her to shut her up, smiling into the kiss. From how sweet she tasted, Sasuke was starting to change his mind about not liking sweets. "Anything you give me is precious to me. Just like you are."

She set the photo aside, hooking her arms around his neck, fingers gracing his skin. "Same to you." She pushed her nose against his sweetly, scrunching it as she closed her eyes, smile on her face. "I'm not sure what would happen to me if something happened to you."

"Nothing," He shook his head, eyes closed as well. "because I won't let it."

There were a few minutes of silence, only the ticking of a clock making sound. Neither one needed to speak to express their feelings, just having a moment of sweet words and tender closeness.

"You're acting strange today." Kirei mumbled, his forehead pressed against hers, black hair melding with blonde.

"I'm happy today." He answered, keeping his eyes closed, knowing hers were closed as well. "That's a good reason, isn't it?"

She nodded as much as she could, sighing happily. "Yes, it is."

He tilted his just a bit, expressing another question. "Is this how you always feel? Happy and…"

"Light?" She finished, knowing what he was going to say, opening one eye to look at him. Had it really been _**that**_ long since her raven had been happy?

He opened one eye as well, feeling as if he was being watched, smiling when he found her eye on him. "Yeah. I like feeling like this."

She chuckled a bit, feeling his fingers draw random figures on her back, shivers shooting up her spine. "So do I." She answered, sighing and closing her eyes. Why couldn't time just stop, right here? Forever?

"I see you got into my shirts." He began with a smile, both eyes open, watching her with a soft gaze. He recognized the black shirt immediately, seeing as how there was an Uchiha Fan symbol sitting upon her heart.

"I didn't feel like wearing my shirts." She answered honestly, knowing he wasn't upset. He probably found it rather cute.

He took his forehead off hers, slipping his face into her neck, nuzzling it and smelling her hair. "It's cute."

See? She knew it.

Itachi wondered when the two on the bed would notice him as he stood at the doorway. He'd been there for a few minutes now. "Hey, lovebirds," He spoke up.

The two looked over, Kirei happy to see him, Sasuke not as much.

"I wanted to let you know that there's a thunderstorm watch for Konoha." He warned, seeing the blonde's eyes get very, very wide.

Sasuke wished Itachi would've stopped right then and there.

"So, we're gonna get hit with a lot of rain – " Itachi's voice broke off as he saw Kirei.

Eyes wide, she knew what he was going to say, frantically looking around for somewhere to hide. Her blue eyes landed on the closet, her body impulsively running for it, letting Sasuke go and going inside, shutting the door behind her as she sat in the corner. Rain couldn't get her in here.

Itachi looked over at Sasuke with an arched eyebrow.

"She's afraid of rain." He informed, sighing before he got up.

"Oh." The elder Uchiha began. Had he known that Kirei was afraid of rain, he wouldn't've said anything at all, but still warned them. "I wouldn't've said something – "

Sasuke put his hand up, shaking his head. "It's alright. You didn't know." As he walked over to his closet, an idea popped up in his mind that was a very good idea. Diverting to his nightstand, Sasuke opened the first drawer, pulling out a small black device, holding it in his hand as he headed for the closet.

When he opened the door, he found his blonde hunched over, her knees drawn in close, arms around her knees, silent.

As Sasuke crouched down to speak with her, Itachi stepped further inside Sasuke's room, curious. Just how was he going to get her out?

Sasuke looked her over first, trying to see how badly she was scared. She wasn't shaking, but she was curled up, which told him she wouldn't be too hard to deal with.

"Princess," He said softly, leaning in to catch her sight as he set a hand on her shoulder, shaking it a bit. "It'll be fine."

She shook her head. No, it wouldn't be fine. It was going to _**rain**_, how could it be fine?

Nevertheless, he smiled, leaning in just a bit more. "Kirei."

She wasn't sure why, but she picked her head up a bit, just enough to see him. The soft look in those onyx eyes, the warm smile he had mesmerized her. She sighed, feeling her body relax a bit, a smile coming onto her lips.

He noticed her relax and smiled just a bit more. "Come on," He let the hand on her shoulder slide down her arm, holding it out for her. "I even brought my ipod so you can drown out the sound."

She hesitated at first, her hand reaching out for his, eyes never wavering. They couldn't with the trance he put upon them.

He gripped the small, cold hand in his, smiling just a bit more. "That's my girl." He said softly, as he pulled her up, helping her out of the closet.

Itachi took a couple steps backward, letting Sasuke lead her out, seeing how Kirei kept both hands with his hand, keeping never less than a step away from him.

"Here," Sasuke began, unraveling the headphones of his ipod, using his free hand to brush through her silky bangs and set the ear pieces in her ears. "That way you won't freak out when it starts, okay?"

Her eyes were like a child's, watching him set the ear pieces in her ear, nodding. "Uh-huh."

"You're gonna be fine, Princess." He assured, setting the second piece in her left ear, tracing her jaw and leaning in, kissing her forehead.

She giggled softly, smiling just a bit.

Since his blonde had both her small hands with his, he held the ipod, gently pulling her away from the closet and to the door. Instead of staying in his room, he'd take Kirei downstairs and to the basement of the Uchiha manor, which had been turned into a living/ game room. His reasoning was because it would block out the sound of the storm more and because there were no windows in the basement. There would be no way that the rain could be seen or heard by Kirei. "Come on."

She stayed close, not knowing where they were going to go, but wanting to stay right with her raven. As long as he was there, she would go anywhere. "Mmkay."

Itachi watched them as if in a daze, following them slowly.

After seeing his brother be depressed for nearly 10 years, it was strange to see him smile and be happy. To see him go from sulking around the village and never at home, always a deep look of loneliness and discontent in his eyes, always trying to distance himself from everyone, while now, he was a quiet soul, who didn't mind being around people, his eyes warmer and softer than before. Sometimes, he'd even have a smile on his face.

And Itachi had Kirei and Naruto to thank for all of it. Of course, Naruto began the change but Kirei made it happen. She was the one who made him change, made him open up, helped him to become the brother Itachi had always known existed.

With a smile on his face, he followed the two out of Sasuke's room and down the steps, watching and sighing at the same time.

Kirei watched, starting to hear the ominous rumble of thunder muffled by the house, looking with curious eyes into the room she hadn't gotten to see before.

Like she had thought before, there was a pool table and another flat screen tv on the wall opposite of the opening. Photos of his family littered the walls, making Kirei suspect that it was too hard to take them down, and seeing how Sasuke's eyes avoided them, it was probably too hard to look at them as well.

Sasuke led her further into this room, taking her right up to the white door that he opened, letting her head down first. Before she went too far down, he flicked the switch, letting light flood the downstairs. "Go ahead."

She didn't go too far down, seeing as how she was still semi attached to Sasuke, turning back to watch him come down with her.

He chuckled at her, shutting the door behind him as he let her go down the small staircase, following right behind, his hand still with hers. He smiled when he saw her gasp as she hit the landing. "You like it?"

She nodded, eyes scanning all the walls with the eyes only an artist had. "It's beautiful." She said with a smile, going up further to inspect how the walls were painted.

It was true, the walls of the family room downstairs were all hand painted. There were flowers of every breed, size and color, the most prominent being red roses. The room itself had another, much larger Tv, actually a home theater system, along with a smaller couch and a few chairs. Around the tv stand were a bunch of game systems, ranging from an old school Playstation to a Nintendo Wii, all their wires, separate games, and controllers littered around the room.

The fingers of her right hand left his hand, gently gracing over a rather large painted red rose. A small smile crossed her lips as she giggled ever so softly, remembering a certain night that was filled with red roses.

Seeing that smile on her face, the look of remembrance in her eyes, Sasuke knew exactly what was on her mind. He leaned in, setting his chin on her right shoulder, fingers playing around with the hand that held hers. "I think that was the best night of my life."

She nodded, her fingers resting gently in the middle of the rose, leaning back against him. "Same here." She mumbled quietly, shutting her eyes momentarily, sighing.

He glanced over, watching her, examining the details of her face. "Let's go sit down, okay?"

It was a minute before she responded, opening her eyes slightly. "Okay." She let her fingers slip, feeling Sasuke's arm slip around her waist, leading her over to the smaller couch. As his fingers moved up and down, caressing her side, she smiled, letting a giggle or two escape.

"I think we should go to next year's prom too." He thought out loud, smiling as pulled her down onto his lap as he sat on the soft couch, handing her his ipod.

She laughed, looking dead into onyx eyes, seeing if they were serious. "I already graduated, Emo kid, we can't go."

He smiled right back, wrapping another arm around her waist to keep her from falling. "We can make our own."

"Sasuke…" She mumbled, shaking her head and smiling.

"_**What**_?" He asked playfully, fingers running along her back, tracing shapes into the fabric. "We could if we wanted to."

Shivers were sent up her spine, making her close her eyes and shake her head, giggling again. "Aw, that tickles." It was a strange fact that he could make her feel ticklish, being that Kirei knew she wasn't ticklish. You could tickle her feet and neck, but only poking her sides gave a reaction, unless what was tickling was foreign to her – a.k.a. Sasuke's bangs or his fingers tracing shapes onto her lower back.

He smirked, watching how she closed her eyes and smiled, shivering just a bit. "Oh does it, now?" Smiling, he turned slightly, bringing Kirei with him, ready to lay back on the couch, laying like they'd always done.

"No," She said, hand grabbing his collar as she turned opposite of him, lying back on the couch before he could. She knew her raven's back was hurting, since he had fallen onto fiberglass and there was no way she was going to lay on top of him, knowing he was in pain. "You're hurt."

He sighed, closing his eyes. "No, I'm not. I'm fine."

Kirei simply narrowed her eyes, using the leverage of his shirt clasped in her hand to pull him down, simply setting her other hand on his back.

He flinched from her gentle touch in pain. It hadn't hurt any other time so far, other than when it happened, but why did it hurt now?

"I told you," She said, seeing the pained look on his face. "You're hurt." She released her grip on his shirt, setting it at her side, sitting up just a bit. "Just lay down, okay?"

He looked at her with tired onyx eyes, seeing the smile on her face and how her eyes looked up at the ceiling when thunder shook the house. "No," He began, keeping eyes locked with hers, hands on each side of her waist, holding him above her. "I won't." He shook his head, watching how she tilted hers. He would love to lay with her like they always did, loving that warm feeling that came with it and the fact that his world was in his arms, right there with him.

But, this was a bit different. Kirei was so much lighter, so much smaller than he and he'd be damned if he was going to lay on top of her. With the difference between them, he'd probably crush her.

He wasn't going to do that. He'd risk his back being in pain rather than crushing the person who was his world.

"Sasuke," She said softly, a small smile coming onto her lips. Seeing the concerned look on his face, even though to any other person he'd look stoic, she knew what was on his mind. "You won't crush me, okay? I'll be fine."

He searched her eyes, keeping his hands and body stark still.

She smiled once more, chuckling softly. "Come on," She reached up, taking his face in her hands, bringing him closer to her. "Rest."

He wasn't sure why, but he complied.

She pulled him closer, shifting so that he rested more on his side and yet in the crook of her left arm, unable to hurt his back further. It seemed to her that he was getting used to this, seeing as how he wrapped an arm underneath her waist, his other wrapping above her waist, so that she was in his arms as well. She removed her left hand, wrapping it around his neck and lacing it in his hair, while her right hand guided his face to her heart, letting her become a pillow for him. "See?" She said, looking down at him with a smile.

Hm.

Sasuke tensed at first, not used to being in such a position, in such a vulnerable state. But when he began hearing something familiar and yet foreign, he began to relax.

Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum…

He closed his eyes, sighing heavily. So _**this**_ is what it was like to hear someone's heartbeat. Something so soft, so rhythmic, so….familiar. Even he had to admit, it was calming to hear. "Is this why you like to listen to my heart?"

"Mm-hmm." She answered softly, even though he could feel the reverberation in her chest. Smiling as she saw him relax, she took her right hand away from his face for only a second, turning on his ipod to find something to listen to.

What she found was that all of her music, the music she had on her home computer was on this tiny black device under the title of "Princess's Music". She shot a glance to him, smirking. _'He must've done it when I wasn't paying attention…'_ She mused in her mind, searching through to find something to listen to. Her mind also wondered why he had all of her music on the device, since it wasn't his usual type of music. The only real conclusion she came up with was that he listened to her music to remind him of her.

She chuckled softly, her heart telling her that was the reason. "Here we go…" She mumbled, her thumb pressing the center button to activate the song. Afterwards, she brought her hand back to his face, gently running her hands through his hair, smiling. She could finally take care of him the way he always took care of her.

Sasuke had to admit to himself that his blonde was oh so very comfortable. Her skin was so soft and she smelled so sweet, almost like cherry blossoms right when they blossomed. Most of all, her heartbeat was somewhat calm, allowing him to close his eyes if only for a moment.

Kirei smiled down at him, feeling him relax even more, slowing down her hand motions, not even realizing she was close to putting the Uchiha to sleep. She also smiled because of his deviousness in putting all of her music onto his ipod – almost as if he'd anticipated something like this – and hearing one of her new favorite songs, began humming along with it softly.

He'd heard her sing thousands of times before, even felt her sing, but this was so different. He could hear it from both ears, one clear, the other nearly muffled. There were no words, just notes…

Feeling and hearing the reverberations of her humming in her chest, he sighed softly, keeping his eyes closed. It was such a calming feeling, the raven found himself in a position he'd been in only once or twice in his life. He was falling asleep. "I didn't get much sleep last night…or many nights…." He mumbled into her chest, moving closer to her, snuggling.

She watched him, a smile still on her face, raising an eyebrow and speaking as softly as she could. "Really?"

"I never get a lot of sleep unless I'm with you…"

She smiled even more, running her right hand through his bangs softly. "Than get some sleep, Prince."

He smiled very slightly, drifting slowly into La-la land, keeping his ear square on her heart. Sleepy as he was, he noticed how her heart slowed down, her breathing becoming very even. "Uh-huh…"

She shook her head at him, taking one last deep sigh, trying to not move a lot.

For the second time in his life, he'd been lulled asleep by his Princess.

* * *

"It's alright, Kirei, come on." Sasuke assured as he stood outside his front door, looking at a rather upset blonde. "You'll be _**fine**_."

Afraid to leave the Uchiha manor, Kirei stood on the doorstep, her feet placed firmly on the concrete, eyes wandering around the landscape. When her sight came back to him, she shook her head.

It wasn't raining anymore, the clouds still looming over head making it somewhat dark, but it was still wet outside. Puddles were everywhere, reminding her of the rain that had already come and gone.

Naruto or not, Kirei was not risking it.

Sasuke closed his eyes, letting out a large sigh. Taking those few steps toward her, he reached for the hands she kept close, taking them into his, staring softly into sapphire eyes. "I'm right here with you."

She trusted Sasuke; no doubt there. It was the puddles left by the rain that she didn't trust.

Sasuke knew this, taking a step backward, keeping her small hands in his. He had a hold on her, physically and mentally, using it to get Kirei from the house. She had to see Naruto whether she wanted to or not.

Kirei watched him, seeing him take another few steps backward, becoming further and further away from her and closer to the puddles. She couldn't let him go out by himself and she was not staying by herself, or at least without him. So, very hesitantly, she stepped off the concrete, watching the ground with wary eyes, just to make sure no puddles got her wet.

"That's it." He praised, stepping backward again as she stepped forward, watching her with a smile. As long as she kept walking toward him, he kept walking backward until she was walking continuously, allowing him to move to her side and walk with her.

She kept a tight grip on his hands, allowing her to grip forcefully and let him lead her along whenever a puddle was too close or rain from above threatened. Kirei had to admit that without Sasuke, she'd've never gotten to where she was at this moment.

She owed him more than she could give.

* * *

Before she knew it, large blue eyes saw the giant white building that held her injured cousin, the one she was scared to see.

Sasuke had successfully led her here, letting her stand right outside to gather any courage she had before going inside. He sighed when he saw her staring at it with fear. His mind wondered why she was so scared to see Naruto as he watched her stare at the building.

She couldn't be scared of Naruto himself; the two blondes were too close for that. Maybe it was just the fact that he was hurt, or rather, that part of her world was hurt.

Yes, that seemed logical enough. That was what he thought when Itachi was hurt.

Of course, Itachi wasn't such a big part of his world that Sasuke couldn't exist without him, unlike how it was with Kirei, but just knowing his only remaining family had been hurt scared the hell out of him.

"I don't wanna be here." Kirei mumbled softly, her eyes focused on the building, disregarding all the people buzzing around.

Coming out of his thoughts, Sasuke snaked his arm around her waist. "I'm right here with you, Princess."

She sighed heavily, looking down at her feet. "I know…but – "

"He wants to see you." Sasuke interrupted, knowing where her words were going. When she looked up at him, he smiled slightly.

"Okay…" She mumbled, taking the first step toward the building, taking his arm from her waist, holding his hand with hers.

Before walking with her, he kissed her temple, so proud that even though she was scared to go see him, she would. "I love you."

* * *

The hospital was very busy, doctors and nurses running through patients and people standing, trying to get where they needed to go. It had been much busier than when Sasuke had ventured to get Kirei only a day ago.

"Let's see now," Sasuke mumbled, reaching into his pocket with his free hand, pulling out a small piece of paper. "Room 1010…"

Kirei watched him curiously, wondering when Sasuke had gotten the room number. He hadn't talked to the receptionist, obviously, seeing her wheel around on her chair, too busy to talk to anyone. "You talked to Nii-san?"

Avoiding people while leading her to the elevators, he nodded. "He called while you were in the shower." He answered, chuckling a bit when Kirei nearly pulled off his arm, running to press the up button on the elevator.

She smiled, always happy to press the buttons of an elevator. She wasn't sure why, but it made her happy.

When the elevator arrived, dinging as it opened its doors, letting people walk out, Kirei ran in happily, Sasuke following along behind her. She immediately stood beside the button panel as other people walked in.

She looked over at Sasuke first, almost asking if she was allowed to press the buttons. He smiled back, giving her a small nod. "Tenth floor."

She pressed the button happily, the clear numbers lighting up beneath her finger. As shouts of other floors came, she was happy to press the responding button.

Just as she finished with the last request, she felt a hand on her head, tousling her hair. "It's good to see you smile."

As always, she cringed slightly, smiling and giggling. "You haven't done that in a while." She said, looking up at onyx eyes.

Those onyx eyes smiled back. "Because I can do this." Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead, his thumb massaging the hand in his.

She giggled softly, her smile growing wider. When she realized that everyone else in the elevator was watching her and Sasuke, smiling at the two, a flame rose in her face. She proceeded to step beside him, moving her sight to the ground.

He chuckled once more, burying his face in her hair, whispering in her ear. "You're cute when you're embarrassed."

When Kirei felt a pair of lips on her ear, her face turned beat red, smile still residing on her face. Only looking up to see what floor they were on, Kirei sighed.

They had 8 more floors of embarrassment to go through.

* * *

"It's alright, Princess." Sasuke assured, pulling his blonde into the room she feared to go in. Whether she liked it or not, she had to do this.

Pulling back, but not what to let his hand go, she shook her head. "Mm-mm."

In a room to himself, lying on the hospital bed, Naruto picked up his head, pristine blue eyes looking at the door in excitement and confusion.

Excitement because at the mention of "Princess", he knew Kirei was there, but also confusion because of the rain. Kirei never left her home after it rained.

If Kirei was there, Sasuke had done the near impossible. _**Again**_.

It wasn't too long before the raven appeared before Naruto, dragging his blonde into view, allowing Naruto to see his cousin. Despite the fact that Naruto was oh so happy to see his cousin after finding out what she'd done the day before, when he was in surgery, he found it odd that Kirei did not look up at him, deciding to keep her sight on the ground, too scared to look at him in fear of all the machines hooked up to him and what could possibly keep him from her.

"Nee-chan…" Naruto said, glancing over at Sasuke to get an answer for her strange behavior.

Sasuke sighed, shaking his head at Naruto. There was a reason for her behavior, but only Naruto could reassure her. _**Only**_ Naruto. Not Sasuke.

For once in his life, he was helpless to Kirei. And he did not like it.

Standing in front of her cousin and beside Sasuke, Kirei tried to look up at her Nii-san. She got as far as the bed, seeing the white sheet draped over his feet, but returned her sight to her feet. She even went as far as closing her eyes and imagining that she was back at the Uchiha manor, back where she wasn't scared.

"Sasuke, could I get a moment with Nee-chan?" Naruto asked, pressing the blue button upon the side of the bed, bringing the bed to help him sit up.

Kirei immediately looked up with wide eyes between Naruto and Sasuke. How could Naruto ask that? And would Sasuke really leave her alone with the person she was most scared to see? Would he really leave her when she needed him most?

The raven saw her reaction in the corner of his eye, but knew that no matter what she was feeling, they had to talk. So he nodded, letting a small smile come onto his face. "Sure."

Astounded that he'd leave her so easy, Kirei looked at him in disbelief, tugging on the hand that still held hers. She did not want him to leave. Not at all.

Sasuke felt the tug, chuckling just a bit. "I know, I know." He said, taking his hand away from hers, pulling her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her small waist. "You'll be okay, Princess." He whispered, feeling her grip his shirt and bury her face in his chest. "Don't be scared."

Naruto smiled as he watched them, amazed at how easy it was for the raven to calm down his cousin. He couldn't imagine why Kirei was so bent on having Sasuke stay, on why she was so scared, but he was sure to get to the bottom of it. He was also going to get to the bottom of something Sasuke had talked about when he'd called the Uchiha home hours ago.

* * *

"It's okay, Nee-chan," Naruto said softly, trying to get Kirei to sit next to him. "Really. I'm fine." He tried to assure her, knowing it wasn't working as well as he thought it would, seeing Kirei just stand there and stare at the floor.

Sasuke had just left the room, leaving a very scared Kirei to stand in front of the bed by herself. She still had not looked at him, hell, she hadn't even moved from her spot!

"…Are you _**really**_?" She asked so softly, letting her hands come up to the bed hesitantly, coming to stop just above the white fabric of the bed.

Her voice was so soft, Naruto wasn't sure he heard it, watching her with ruffled eyebrows. He became sure when Kirei finally looked up at him, her blue eyes slightly teary, her face strewn with worry and fear. "Come here, sweetie."

She obeyed, her hands coming back to her sides, walking over before she could think about exactly who she was walking to.

"Sit." He commanded, pointing to the open space on his bed.

Kirei continued to do so, wincing when she saw the IV within his hand, reaching her hand out to touch the plastic tube, but stopped. She shouldn't touch things that could help her cousin. Bad things would come of it.

Naruto watched her with curious eyes. "Were you really that scared for me?" He asked, eyes following every movement his younger cousin made.

She inched closer to him, sitting right beside him as she laid her head on his chest, hands balling into fists as they gripped the gown he was made to wear. With tears slowly falling from her eyes, she nodded.

He smiled slightly at her, bringing his hands to her waist and head, petting as he tried to soothe her. "Aw, Nee-chan…" He cooed, feeling the tears falling from her cheeks. "I'm fine, really…"

"I was scared something bad was going to happen…" Kirei admitted, burying her face further into his chest, her grip tightening. "Cause I had a bad dream."

Sighing, Naruto knew what that meant. Kirei never had bad dreams unless something bad did happen. She had that strange intuition sometimes, and usually, she was right. "Didn't you tell Sasuke?" He asked, still petting her head. She usually told him everything.

"No," She sobbed. "I didn't want to worry him."

Despite the graveness and the worry, Naruto smiled. She still had the Uchiha's happiness in mind, even though his happiness overshadowed hers. She really was in love with him, wasn't she? "Okay, Nee-chan."

"Was that wrong?" She asked softly, sniffling a bit as she wiped her eyes of her tears. Should she have told her boyfriend, the one person she could tell anything, what had transpired in her mind instead of keeping him in the dark?

Naruto had to admit that she probably should have told him. "You probably should've, sweetie. But it's okay that you didn't."

His hands still on her, she pulled away from him, choosing to sit up and dry her tears, wanting to look at her cousin. She'd already proved to herself that he was there, that he was safe. Now she could stand to look at her injured cousin, his skin slightly paler than usual. "Nut-uh. I _**should've**_ told him."

What a time to be stubborn. Shaking his head, he decided that since she was feeling somewhat better, he'd get started with the second half of his mission. After all, that was one of the reasons for the visit. "Kirei," He began, seeing how she looked at him with slightly wide eyes.

Naruto only used her name when he was very serious.

"I'm going to ask you something important. I want you to answer seriously and with words, okay?" He asked, seeing her body tense just a bit.

She watched him with confused eyes, ruffling her brows in response. "…Okay, Nii-san."

He sighed first, letting his eyes close and open again. "Do you love Sasuke?"

Kirei stared at him for a moment, caught totally off guard by the question. She felt her heart nearly stop, her brain stopping any thought in her mind.

She had admitted to herself a few times that she was in love with him, with everything he did. But was she _**really**_?

Did he mean so much to her that if he was gone, she'd go insane? Had he become so much apart of her life that with him in it, she'd stop living?

The answers to those questions and more were yes.

Kirei still had her friends and her family as part of her life, but Sasuke was the majority of it, always there for her. He was there when she most needed him and even when she didn't need – or want the Uchiha – he was there. He could be forceful and angry, had a temper that flared every once in a while, causing him to be very violent, but never once had he raised a hand to her. He always made sure he was never angry when she was around. How could he be?

Of course, Kirei never minded his faults. That's what made him human. What made him who he was. He was not the emotionless bastard like the show portrayed him to be.

He was Uchiha Sasuke.

He was the man Kirei was in love with.

"Yes, Nii-san."

With her eyes staring directly into his, he knew she wasn't lying. He smiled at her, extending his hand and tousling her hair. At least she could admit it to him.

Getting her to admit it to Sasuke was the problem.

"But I can't tell him." She continued from Naruto's silence. From the smile on his face and the hair tousle, she knew he wasn't upset with her. "I tried, but I can't."

"That's alright," He assured, hearing the shakiness of her voice. "He already knows you do."

"But it's not fair if he says it and I don't." She argued, hands gripping the sheets below her.

He nodded in agreement. "You're right,"

She tilted her head in confusion. She was right but he was still arguing with her? In what world did that make sense?

"But," He continued, keeping his voice level and calm. "You can't force yourself to say it. That's like saying it when you don't mean it. You need to say it when you're comfortable, when it feels right, understand?"

Oh. So that's why. "…Yeah…I think so." She nodded slowly, her mind coming to understand his words. Come to think of it, Sasuke only said sentimental things whenever it was just the two of them, when times were at their sweetest. Kirei decided that at the next sweet moment they shared, she'd say it. No matter what, she'd say it.

Naruto saw that smile on her face, the smile that meant she was thinking about her raven, which made him shake his head. Young love. "Nee-chan, what do you say to some ramen?"

She gasped, looking up at her cousin happily. "Really?!"

He nodded, reaching to his orange jacket that hung beside the bed, pulling his Gama-chan frog wallet from the pocket. "My treat." He handed it to her as she jumped off the bed, clearly excited. "They have a stand right outside the hospital, okay? Don't go any further than that."

She nodded quickly, rushing him along. "Okay, okay." She smiled, turning toward the door and running over to it. "I'll be back, nii-san!!"

"Send Sasuke in when you leave, Nee-chan!!" He yelled, hoping that a) she'd hear it and tell Sasuke or b) that Kirei had already bolted from the door and Sasuke just happened to hear it and wonder why the hell his blonde was bolting from the room.

"I'm guessing your talk cheered her up?" Sasuke asked as he walked in, confused at why his blonde had literally bolted from the room happily.

Seeing the raven walk inside, hearing the door shut only a moment later, Naruto nodded. "Yeah…I told her some stuff, but there's a few things I'm gonna tell you too, teme." He stated, watching as the Uchiha sat in the chair next to the bed.

Sasuke nodded, knowing that right now, Naruto held all the cards. Only the blonde knew why Kirei wasn't able to say those three little words. "Sure, sure."

Blue eyes were absolutely astounded at how Sasuke was actually being obedient, actually listening intently. Although, he had to admit; Sasuke would do anything for Kirei, so why was listening about her any different? "She's…scared, to say the least."

Sasuke nodded, onyx eyes watching the bedridden blonde. "You already said that when we first started going out a few months ago."

"Yeah, but – "

"Than what's the problem?" Sasuke asked impatiently. He didn't mean it in an angered manner, he just wanted to know what was wrong with his blonde. Knowing what was wrong was the first step on how to fix it.

Naruto sighed, closing his eyes, putting his head in his hand. "Sasuke, this isn't like a math problem. There's no equation with some secret shortcut that magically solves everything." He sighed once again, opening blue eyes to look almost angrily at onyx eyes. "I'm surprised you think of her that way."

"I don't!" The Uchiha raged, standing up while knocking the chair backwards. "I just – " He cut himself off, sighing to try to get rid of some of his anger. He couldn't call her a problem in front of her own cousin, because that was like signing his death warrant. Plus, that was far from what Sasuke thought about her.

She was anything but a problem to him. It was just the fact that she had tried to say those three little words a few times recently, but always seemed to fail. He noticed this easily, knowing his blonde's sighs and the expressions she wore. Since she was having this problem, he wanted to help her with it, help her get through it.

The only problem with that was that he had no idea how to help.

"It's alright, teme," Naruto began, taking his hand away from his face, a grin coming to his lips. "I know you don't think of her like that, I'm just messing with you."

Sasuke seemed to loose all thought, blinking his eyes as his limbs went limp. "You…" His blank stare turned into a glare. "What?"

Seeing his glare, Naruto thought it was probably not a good idea to mess with an emotionally unstable Sasuke. "Wait, Sasuke," He tried his best to back away from the raven who approached him. "Come on, I was just joking, okay? No harm done…" He winced, seeing Sasuke grab a pillow from the other bed. "Right?"

"Sure." Sasuke responded sarcastically, taking the pillow and whipping it at the blonde.

"Ow!! Hey!! I'm already in the hospital, teme!!" Naruto screamed, the pillow stinging his skin as he tried to cover his head with his arms. The pillow wasn't all that painful; it was the force behind the pillow that hurt.

Sasuke smirked, keeping the pillow firm in his hands. "At least then I don't have to bring you here after mauling you."

"What?! Teme, come on, please!" He cringed one last time, closing his eyes and hiding his face from the raven. Although…

No pillow came.

Slowly, Naruto opened one eye and looked around. There was Sasuke, pillow still in his hand. "What are you doing?" He asked cautiously, seeing the raven throw the pillow back on the other bed and pull the fallen chair back up.

With a sigh, he sat in the chair, regaining the usual Uchiha composure. "I'm not here to maul you, even though I'd like to." He answered, trying to keep his calm while looking at the blonde. "I just want to find out how to help."

Naruto narrowed his eyes warily, keeping his position on the near edge of the bed. "I'm not sure I believe you."

Sasuke simply raised an eyebrow.

At his silence, Naruto relaxed a bit, coming back to his spot in the middle of the bed. "Alright, I guess I can trust you." He tried his hardest not to smile, but for Naruto, that was asking the impossible. "For now."

"You are the weirdest person ever." Was all Sasuke could say, chuckling slightly. Even he had to admit that Naruto did have a way of making people laugh. Other than Kirei, he was the only one able to coax the Uchiha into some form of a human.

He smiled his trademark grin. "Of course I am. Anyway, I think Kirei's scared." Before Sasuke could open his mouth to retort, Naruto continued. "It's not the fear I was talking about a few months ago, that was a trust thing. And trust me, she trusts you."

Sasuke nodded with a smile. At least this was something he knew. "Yeah, I know that."

"I think it's because she's scared to say it. If she says it, she's worried something bad will happen to you. It's obviously happened to her before – "

"Like getting burned." He interrupted, seeing the blonde frown at him.

He absolutely hated to be interrupted, but nodded. "Yeah, something like that. Hinata had that same problem when we started going out. She didn't say it until we were on a mission together, when she thought we weren't going to make it out alive."

Sasuke sighed, closing his eyes and lowering his head. "So she will say it?"

"Eventually." Naruto smiled, shaking his head. "Just give her time, Sasuke. That's really all you can do. And I would suggest not saying "I love you" so much. She already knows you do, so it makes her feel bad, because she can't say it back, ya know?"

Absentmindedly, he nodded, mumbling some form of, "Yeah." He was too busy thinking about his blonde and about the things Naruto had told him.

Why hadn't he known that all she needed was time? Did he really want her to say "I love you" so much that he'd forgotten to let her have time to say it? What an asshole he'd be for making her do something she wasn't ready for.

The thing he promised he'd never to do.

Sighing once more, Sasuke was glad he'd talk to Naruto before he broke his promise. He'd never forgive himself if he hurt the one person who meant the most to him.

"Hey guys, I'm back!!" Kirei called, holding the bowls of steaming hot ramen with one arm, the other opening the door.

"RAMEN!!!"

With the look on Naruto's face, eyes wide and mouth open in excitement, Sasuke figured they didn't serve ramen at the hospital.

As Kirei walked further inside, she couldn't help but smile and laugh when she saw Naruto. "You really love this stuff, don't you, Nii-san?" She asked as she laughed.

Staying seated in the bed, Naruto reached out toward his ramen, wiggling his fingers to grip it. He was so excited, he forgot how to speak, nodding his head vigorously.

She shook her head, setting the bowls on the edge of the table, handing her cousin the first one, careful to not loose her fingers. Naruto wouldn't have it any other way. "Be careful, Nii-san, it's hot."

Taking it as quickly as he could, he immediately tore apart the chopsticks, scooped up some noodles and shoved them in his mouth. "Ow!!!!" He cried, sticking out his tongue to soothe his burned tongue.

She chuckled as she shook her head, getting the other two bowls out for herself and Sasuke. "I warned you, Nii-san." Holding one bowl in her hands while leaving the other on the bed, she turned, ready to hand the bowl to Sasuke and then pull a chair up for herself since he was in the chair already close to the bed.

To her surprise, Sasuke was already standing, smiling softly at her as he maneuvered her into his chair. "You've had a long day." He mumbled, getting a chair for himself, along with getting the last bowl of ramen. He set the chair beside hers, setting the bowl in his lap as he tore apart the chopsticks.

Watching him, Kirei couldn't help but smile. What a sweetheart… "Thank you, Sasuke." Leaning over the chair while keeping her hands on the bowl, she kissed his cheek, giggling ever so softly as she dug into her ramen, unaware of the blue eyes that watched them.

With a slight blush on his face, Sasuke kept his sight on the bowl, knowing if he looked up at Naruto, he'd never hear the end of his blush and that everyone else would know about it by the end of the day, but if he looked at Kirei…Well, he could look at her. "You're welcome, Princess." He answered, glancing over at her with a smile. She finally looked happy.

Naruto watched them with a smile, doing his best to hold back a squeal. He had to admit to himself, even though he never wanted any of this to happen, they were absolutely adorable together. "You two…" He whispered with a smile, sighing. What a strange and lovely thing young love was.

* * *

"Sasuke…Look." Naruto said softly, pointing at his cousin, smiling at her.

Sasuke smiled, looking over at her and yet trying not to move too much, seeing as how Kirei was resting her head on his shoulder, dead asleep. "I know." He replied softly, letting his elbow rest upon the arm of the chair, bringing his hand to face her, curving his fingers into a paw-like pose to caress the smooth skin of her cheek.

It was true; Kirei was resting her head on his shoulder, fast asleep next to the one she loved. After eating her ramen, she felt so sleepy; she couldn't help but fall asleep. As his curved fingers met with her skin, she sighed in her sleep, her hands limply draped around the empty bowl in her lap.

"Poor thing." Naruto mumbled with a smile, shaking his head. "You guys should head home."

For once, Sasuke agreed with him. Although, he didn't want to wake her up just yet. She was way too cute to wake up. "Yeah, in a few minutes."

The blonde sighed, taking the empty dish from his lap and setting it on the stand beside his bed gently, trying to keep quiet for his cousin. When he looked back to them, Sasuke was still caressing her cheek, still watching her with the softest look Naruto had ever seen on his face.

As best as he could, Sasuke turned his head even more, kissing her head gently. "Princess," He whispered softly, trying to wake her up without moving her. He didn't want to wake her up, he had to; at least for a little while. Then they could go home and go to bed, since it was close to dark. "Time to get up."

Kirei barely moved, taking a deep breath and opening her eyes ever so slightly. "I'm sleepy."

Sasuke chuckled, smiling at her. "I know you are. That's why we're gonna head home." He explained softly.

She closed her eyes, loving the movement of his fingers against her skin. "Home as in?"

"My house, since all your things are there, okay?" He asked, knowing she'd comply. He just hoped that she wouldn't ask to sleep up in his room. Who knows what Naruto would do if he heard that.

"Mm-hmm." She answered sleepily, nodding just a tiny bit. When she closed her eyes again, she felt the motion of the Uchiha's fingers on her skin, loving the feeling but wondering just what he was doing. "Sasuke, what the hell are you doing? I am not your cat." She asked with a small smile on her face.

"No, but you are my Princess." He answered, smiling as he pressed his nose into her bangs, eyes closed as well. "We'll come back tomorrow, okay?" He asked quietly.

She yawned as she stretched her hands out, trying to wake up enough to make it back home. "Okay then." Taking her head from his shoulder, she rubbed her eyes clear of any sleep, waiting until she was done to stand and set her empty bowl with the one upon the bed stand.

When she finally did open her eyes, she found that Sasuke was right beside her, watching to make sure she wouldn't fall or trip from her drowsy state. "Good morning." He smiled, using one hand to set his bowl with the two others, other hand tousling her hair.

She giggled as she shook his hand away, finally okay with her cousin being in the hospital, putting a smile on her face as she turned to face Naruto. "You gonna be okay tonight, Nii-san?" She asked, feeling a pair of arms wrap around her waist, making her chuckle.

He shook his head at the both of them, unable to take the large grin off his face. "Yeah," He nodded. "I'll be fine. Go get some sleep, okay?"

With a smile on her lips, she poked at the arms around her waist, feeling Sasuke let her go just a moment later. "I will, Nii-san. I'll make sure he does too."

Sasuke play glared the both of him, watching as Kirei reached over the bed, hugging her cousin as he did the same.

He was glad to hug back. Hell, he was glad to see her. It was really boring when all you did was sit in a bland white hospital room with nothing but stale re-runs on tv. "I love you, nee-chan."

"Love you, Nii-san." She replied, pulling away from her cousin, stepping back to return to Sasuke.

Standing behind her, the raven narrowed his eyes slightly. How was it that she was able to say "I love you" to her cousin so easily when she couldn't even manage to say it to him?

He wasn't sure, smiling at her as she turned to face him. _'It's just the difference in the relationship we have,'_ He reminded himself. The relationship he was referring to was the relationship they had as cousins, truly a brother-sister bond, to the rather large difference of their own romantic relationship. _'I just need to remember that.'_

Kirei tilted her head, poking her raven in the forehead, knowing that spacey look in his eyes that meant he was thinking about something. "Are you okay?"

He blinked, jumping a little when he found Kirei's finger close to his face, shaking off his thoughts. "Yeah," He mumbled, shaking his head slightly. "I'm fine."

"Ready to go home?" She asked, smiling at him while reaching out for his hand, holding it as she intertwined their fingers like always.

He nodded, feeling a bit tired himself. "Home sounds good." He waved to the watching blonde, while his own blonde pulled him out of the room, calling and waving to her cousin as well. "See ya tomorrow." He called, shutting the door of the room behind him.

"Did I say thank you yet?" Kirei asked him, pulling herself closer to him, walking down the hallway to the elevators. She snuggled against his shoulder, smiling as wide as she could.

He ruffled his eyebrows, looking down at his blonde. Just as he looked down, she glanced up at him. "For what?" He asked back, a slight smile on his face. He couldn't help but smile even just a bit when she smiled at him.

She wasn't able to keep her eyes locked with him, a slight blush coming onto her face as she looked down, snuggling back into his arm. "For making me come here."

Taking his hand from hers, he wrapped it around her waist, stopping as they hit the elevator, Kirei reaching out for the button, pressing it happily. When she came back to him, he kissed the top of her head, feeling her tilt her head back to look at him. "You didn't," He admitted. "but you don't have to."

She giggled, feeling his fingers playing with her waist, tickling her. "Thank you anyway, Sasuke."

"No problem, Princess." He answered, noticing a slender blonde woman on his right, a familiar red cloud necklace set upon her neck. He also noticed a tall brunette, taller than him, wearing all black, another red cloud placed on a bracelet upon his wrist.

Was it just Sasuke or were they being surrounded by Akatsuki fans?

…Unless they weren't Akatsuki _**fans**_.

As he became more alert, Kirei suddenly gasped, remembering a crucial detail about something. "Oh god," She said, removing Sasuke's hand from her waist. "I forgot I've got to return those bowls!"

Sasuke let her remove his hand and arm, but ruffled his brows in confusion.

At his look, she stopped, just about to run down the hall back to her cousin's room, to explain. "The stand is right down the road from here, we passed it."

He nodded, knowing this. "Yes, I know that."

"And I told him Nii-san was in the hospital, so he allowed me to take some of his bowls up as long as I promised to bring them back when we left." She explained further. "And I forgot them back in the room."

Understanding, but keeping a cautious eye on the two "Akatsuki fans", Sasuke nodded. "I'll wait right here for you."

She smiled, coming back to him and stepping onto her tip toes, kissing him gently. "Thank you." She whispered to him, taking a step back as she proceeded to run down the hall, a smile placed on her face. All she had to do was get the bowls, explain and say good bye to her cousin once more and then she could go spend yet another night in the Uchiha manor.

As she arrived at her cousin's room and opened the door, Kirei immediately became alert.

Not all was as it seemed.

* * *

Sasuke eyed the two "Akatsuki fans" suspiciously, making sure to watch them for any weapons, just in case they weren't just fans.

He wondered if they were part of the fake Akatsuki, hearing a few low snickers from the male on his left. Even with this, he waited for the elevator to arrive, looking up impatiently to look back down with a sigh. Floor 20. It'd be a while yet.

"You should probably go check on your girlfriend." The female on his right said with a sly tone, making Sasuke shiver. "She's not going to be happy."

As Sasuke turned to her to ask exactly what she meant, his glare about to be focused on her, it faded from his face, eyebrows coming to ruffle in confusion.

There was no one standing there. To his left or his right.

They'd vanished.

* * *

Kirei was alert the second she'd opened the door. A strong waft of wind blew at her, signaling a window had been opened.

Seeing as how Naruto was bedridden, that was quite impossible.

"Nii-san?" She called out hesitantly, warily looking inside the room. She noticed it was much colder than before, which justified the thought that the window had opened.

As she walked further into the room, her eyes caught sight of something that made any previous thought in her mind stop. Her eyes widened, heart quickening it's pace, stopping any movement other than her mouth dropping slightly.

The window had definitely been opened.

"Nice to see you again, my lovely Kirei-chan." Ramada spoke, standing on the open window sill, holding the knocked out and injured cousin of his beloved by the waist, careful not to injure him further, but to make sure he had a grip upon the teen. He smiled at her.

"Nii-san!!" Kirei cried, hoping to God that he'd wake up and do something, but to her dismay, he did not move. Her heart quickened even more.

She was by herself. Sasuke was down the hall and with the door shut, he wouldn't be able to hear her scream. Naruto was – well, incapacitated. But she couldn't leave; she wouldn't with her cousin right there.

He meant too much, done too much to help her that it wasn't right to leave him. Kirei couldn't leave him. It wasn't right and it sure as hell didn't feel right.

"If you want to see him again, love," Ramada started, turning, ready to hop out the window. He still smiled. "I suggest you meet me at Konoha gates as soon as possible."

Tears formed at the rims of Kirei's eyes as she watched him jump off, running over to the open window to lean out of it, trying to get back her Nii-san. She felt the tightness in her chest and lungs, feeling a few tears slip down her face, gripping the sill with so much force, her knuckles were turning white.

She heaved a sob before tearing out of the room and running down the hall.

* * *

Sasuke heard that oh so familiar sound. It wasn't a hard sound to distinguish in the near dead silent hallway, but even in a crowd of people, he'd know what it was.

It was the heavy sobs of she who he loved, the sound of her running toward him almost as dominate.

Kirei didn't mean it, but as she came closer to him, pushed him out of her way, frantically pushing the down button of the elevator. She needed to get down to ground level. And fast.

"Princess, what's going on?" Sasuke asked with such concern in his voice, it made Kirei cry even more.

She squeezed her eyes closed, barely seeing the blurry numbers of floor 15. Why couldn't it go faster?! "They took him…" She mumbled, leaning closer to him.

Sasuke made the immediate connection between what the members had told him, how she was acting and what she said. He sighed heavily, forcefully pulling Kirei into his arms. He didn't need that much force, seeing as how his blonde happily came into his arms, crying into his chest. "Don't worry, sweetie."

"Ramada…" She sobbed, gripping his shirt tightly. "he was…right there…"

He petted her hair, trying to distinguish what she was saying, watching his blonde with soft eyes. "He took Naruto?" He asked, knowing that would be the only thing to make Kirei so upset.

She nodded against his chest.

Sasuke sighed. Despite how well the morning had gone, it seemed as if everything was going downhill. "Where'd he go?" He asked softly, seeing the elevator hit floor 11. The question was crucial because that's the first place Kirei would bolt for – just in case he'd lost her in the streets, he'd go there – and because if Naruto was out of the hospital for too long, he'd die.

And for both their sake's, that couldn't happen.

"The gates."

"Come on, sweetie." Sasuke's voice became hushed and quiet, trying to hide his anger, pulling her along with him into the slightly packed elevator.

Sasuke glared at the eyes that were too curious. They may have wanted to know what was wrong, but that didn't mean they were free to look, or to figure it out for that matter.

He spun her around so that his back faced the many people, since they were at the front and so that he could move his blonde into his arms, allowing her to hold onto his hands as she continued to cry softly. He pulled her close to his chest, holding tightly. "It'll all be okay," he whispered. "We'll get Naruto back and kill that bastard."

Kirei was still silent, keeping her eyes closed.

It was scary for her, even more so than finding out that Naruto was in the hospital. And he was still injured! He could be injured even further and without going back to the hospital soon…that led to things she didn't want to think about.

If it could be known to Kirei, her mind found an even graver, even scarier thought.

What if it had been _**Sasuke**_?

The tears kept coming silently as her eyes opened and widened, staring at nothing in particular. Even her grip on Sasuke's hands loosened as she realized, What if it was Sasuke that was taken and _**not**_ Naruto? What would she do then? How would she go about daily life? He was her daily life, or at least, so much a major part, she missed every day he wasn't there. Even if he showed for just a minute, she was happy. She didn't need anything else.

So, if it had been Sasuke instead of Naruto…how could she exist?

Kirei's mind couldn't wrap around the thought of Sasuke being gone. It was too impossible. She loved him too much.

"Kirei," Sasuke said, shaking the blonde's shoulders, looking dead into her eyes, his face full of worry. He'd said her name for the last minute or so and she hadn't even looked like she was paying attention. "Are you – "

Snapping from her thoughts, she shook her head slightly. "Where are we?" She didn't bother waiting for an answer, recognizing the slightly busy lobby of the hospital. "I have to get him back." She mumbled, waiting to run until she got outside, away from all the sick people who needed more help than she.

Sasuke smiled just a little bit, finding some sort of life coming back into his blonde. Even if it wasn't the happy life he was used to, it was better than nothing. "I'm right here with you."

Those words were so familiar to Kirei and yet, every time he said them, it had the same effect on her. Confidence. Happiness. Love. "I know." She said with a smile, the first smile she had since all this had happened.

Sasuke smiled in turn.

At least something was looking up today.

* * *

"Kirei," Sasuke called, able to keep up with Kirei easily, but starting to notice she was starting to get faster, if not more angered. "Kirei!!"

Directly ahead of them stood the gates of Konoha, an orange-ish yellow sun setting just beyond the horizon. He could understand, seeing as how it was early September. It was starting to get darker sooner now.

But what directed his attention most was the small black dot near that very horizon, standing as if he were waiting something, in which he was. As onyx eyes scanned the area around "Ramada", the supposed leader of "Akatsuki", Sasuke found no Naruto. No one was around him.

So where was Naruto?

Kirei panted heavily, her leg muscles burning and itching from running the entire distance, but she didn't care. Her focus was solely placed upon the man ahead of her, anger directed toward him, fueling the only thing that kept her running. "I want him back!" She yelled, her feet feeling like lead as they landed on dirt, almost passing out of Konoha.

Using his superior skills, Sasuke sped forward, wrapping his arms around the frenzied blonde and lifting her off her feet as he stopped. Even if Naruto was at stake, who knows what could happen beyond the Gates. For all he knew, there were other "Akatsuki" members within the tree tops, ready and waiting to take Kirei as soon as she stepped out of Konoha and Sasuke would be damned if "Ramada" walked away with both Naruto _**and**_ Kirei.

She struggled against his grip, trying her hardest to get her feet back to the ground, to run toward the thing she was focused on. "Let me go!!" She cried, feeling that familiar lump in her throat, that familiar chest tightening feeling, the feeling that meant she was close to tears. "I want him back!" Her voice still yelled, somewhat descending in power, her emotions overtaking her. As her voice lowered, so did her resilience against Sasuke's grip. "I just want him back…" She felt it. Her chest heaved as she began to sob, eyes squeezing shut, a few tears falling from sapphire blue eyes.

Sasuke lowered her back to the ground, keeping his arms around her loosely for fear she would collapse. He felt it was safe to have her back on the ground. "We'll get him back, Princess. Don't worry." He spoke, not completely sure of his own words, but trying to help his love.

"Oh yes. You'll get him back, alright." Ramada spoke, a slight smile on his face, unfazed by Kirei's outburst of tears and rage.

Kirei picked up her head, looking at him in confusion.

Sasuke did the same, but kept his face exempt of emotion except for the hard glare he directed toward Ramada. No one dared do this to the people he loved without consequences.

"For a…" The black haired man looked up to the growing night sky for the right word. "…Price, of course."

Blue eyes blinked, her tears slowing a bit, allowing her to see somewhat better. "A price?" She mumbled, wondering what the hell he was talking about.

Onyx eyes widened slightly. Ramada couldn't be doing what Sasuke most feared. He wouldn't.

"I'll give you your "nii-san" back." He said with a smile. "For _**you**_, of course." He pointed directly at Kirei, smile turning evil and sly.

Sasuke's heart nearly stopped.

It was the thing he feared most, even more than snakes. The thing that had originally made him angry that he'd fallen in love with Kirei; a trade off. And now, it was coming true.

"…What?" Kirei asked in confusion, yet knowing what he meant. She just had to hear it again, to confirm what her heart feared most.

"I'll give him back to you if you come along with me." Ramada answered happily, shifting his weight from foot to foot. It wasn't _**that**_ hard to understand, was it?

Every muscle in Kirei's body stopped as she stared at this man. Her eyes slowly drifted downward, to the dirt below him, feeling a soft breeze blow through.

Was he really asking her to leave? Leave the one place she'd actually learned to love, the one place that became home?

Sasuke's mind was on similar thoughts, although his were much graver, much sadder. He knew for a fact that he couldn't exist, couldn't live without the blonde that now resided in his arms. But also, he couldn't exist without Naruto. Both blondes were so important to him, each in there own way, that if one was missing…let alone both, Sasuke wasn't sure what he'd do.

Life didn't seem worth living without them.

Kirei's hands had subconsciously found Sasuke's, holding them as well as massaging them. There was a lot riding on this one deal and by now, her uncle could do nothing to help. Going to the Yondaime now would be asking for Naruto's death.

Her head hung a bit lower, her lips almost resting on Sasuke's wrist, his hand up on her shoulder. She closed her eyes, letting out a large sigh. _'There's only one way I know how to deal with this…'_ She thought, letting a few tears slip from her closed eyes, unable to believe this was all happening.

Sasuke felt the slight sob and looked at his blonde, wondering just what was on her mind. When she removed his hands from her, but held them and turned around to face him, the raven's eyes widened. She wasn't doing what he thought she was, was she? "Ki – "

With the deepest sapphire blue eyes he'd ever seen, she looked up at him, her eyes slightly red, completely teary. She kept his hands in hers, taking a deep breath.

Those eyes made him close his mouth, waiting for her to speak.

"I love you." She did not hesitate. She did not blink. With all her heart, whether he knew it or not, she said those three words. The words she'd wished to say, the words he wished to hear.

That confirmed it for the raven. He closed his eyes, unbelievable happy because she finally said the words he'd wished for most, yet unhappy because of the reason why she was saying them. He said nothing, pulling her into his arms for the last time.

It would be the last time he'd hold her, the last time he'd kiss her, the last time he'd see her. He didn't know how long it would be, or if he could live without her, but one thing he knew for sure were those three little words. "I love you too."

Kirei couldn't help but sob as hard and as loud as she could into the Uchiha's chest, gripping his shirt so tight, she feared she'd rip it. She didn't want to leave him, but it was the _**only**_ way.

In all truth, Naruto was more important to the village than she.

He was the Hokage's son, a future "heir" to the "throne", a Jinchūriki to the famous and powerful Kyuubi, a ninja who could protect the village, a star of his own tv series and most important of all, her brother. Maybe not literaly, but figuratively speaking, he was her brother.

It was stupid to think that she meant more, that she could stay with her love and leave Naruto in danger's path.

Sasuke didn't want her to leave either and if there was time, he'd find a way to save both of them. But there was no other way. This was it. It was all or nothing.

"I haven't got all day, you know." Ramada spoke, a hint of jealously within his voice. He didn't like seeing his blonde upset, let alone in another man's arms.

Neither one heard his comment.

She didn't want to, but Kirei pulled away from him slightly, standing on her tip toes to reach her love. With all the passion and love she had in her being, she kissed him, trying to convey to him just how much he meant to her, how much she loved and needed him.

He, of course, kissed back, giving her that same passion, that same love, increasing the grip on her waist, pulling her close. He didn't want to let her go.

It seemed like forever before they parted for air, Kirei gently setting her head upon his heart as she let her heels come back to the ground. It would be hard to get through the nights without his heartbeat to lull her to sleep. When she opened her mouth to speak, tears still falling from her eyes, Sasuke cut her off.

"Don't say it." He whispered. "It's not goodbye, it's see you soon." He said firmly, burying his face in her hair. It'd be the last time he'd be able to feel it against his skin. "Okay?"

She nodded, taking another sigh. "I guess," She began softly, taking a step away from him and yet holding his hands. "This is, "see you soon" then." She had a slight smile on her face, staring into those deep onyx eyes that she loved so much.

He returned that small smile, nodding. "Yeah."

Ramada smiled even more. He was _**finally**_ getting his wish.

As slow as she could, Kirei walked backwards, keeping her hands with his until the last moment, her fingers slipping from his as she crossed outside of the large Konoha Gates. Unable to look at him anymore out of sheer sadness, she turned her back toward him, knowing if she looked back, she'd start crying more than she already had.

Sasuke watched her. He watched every move she made, also keeping a subconscious eye for anything that moved.

"Lovely, very lovely, indeed." Ramada said happily, clapping his hands together as Kirei walked closer and closer.

Halfway to him, she put on her hardest glare. How demented must someone be to be happy when they separated two people who were in love? _'How disgusting.'_ She thought.

As soon as she was beside him, Ramada slid an arm around her waist, bowing his head slightly to the raven opposite of him. "I thank you so much for this trade off, Uchiha."

Sasuke resisted the urge to go after him, keeping his fists beside him.

"And as promised," He waved two fingers in the air, pointing them towards Sasuke. "Your "nii-san"."

A black blur ran past Sasuke, dropping a passed out Naruto to the ground at the raven's feet. Keeping his eyes on Ramada, Sasuke knelt down, picking the blonde up gently, not knowing specifically where Naruto was injured.

With a content sigh, the "Akatsuki" leader gently kissed his blonde on the forehead, frowning slightly when she turned away from him. "And now, we must be going. Good bye, Uchiha."

Sasuke did not bother to look at him, not even blinking when Kirei suddenly vanished before his eyes. He couldn't bare to look away from her now.

Now standing alone, he looked up to the near night sky, wondering why. At the moment, it was the only question worth asking.

Why him? Why her? _**Why**_?

It was a few minutes before he remembered he had to get Naruto back to the hospital, trying not to injure him further as he shifted the blonde. So far, it was one of the only good things to come of this trade off.

Racing back to the hospital, Sasuke realized it would be the _**only**_ good thing to come of this trade off.

* * *

Everything that had happened had gone by so fast, Kirei thought she was still asleep in the Uchiha manor – or at least, with Sasuke.

"So, this is what you wanted, Ramada-san?" Kirei nearly shrieked as the only woman from "Akatsuki" appeared on the branch in front of them. She was slender like Kirei, although her hair was much blonder, almost a bleach blonde. What scared Kirei the most were her electrifyingly purple eyes, watching the blonde if she were a hawk, tilting and twisting her head every which way.

Ramada kept his grip on her waist tight, nodding. "Yes."

Kirei watched as other members appeared around them, all 7 littered on the branches. To the left of herself and Ramada, there was an average sized man, probably in his 20s with brown hair and green eyes, a Waterfall village headband around his neck standing next to a slightly shorter man with medium length, perfectly straight bright red hair, with deep indigo eyes watching her. With how close they were standing, Kirei figured they were partners.

To their right were another pair of males, both the same height, probably about 6'2", looking nearly identical. The one on the left had deep brown colored hair, right eye a deep blue like hers, the other a bright violet. His partner had a much more honey brown hair, and the same blue and violet eyes, although the sides were reversed. His right eye was the bright violet and the left was the deep blue. Kirei figured they were either fraternal twins, or real twins who died their hair and used contacts to separate each other.

The last three members were set behind her, all three coming to look at her as she looked at them. One, she noticed immediately, had nearly orange eyes, his shockingly blue hair obviously died to create a very noticeable look. The other man she recognized immediately, having met this man once before. It was the white haired man from the club she and Sasuke had gone to a few months ago. _'So he was in Akatsuki all this time…'_ She thought, eyes glazing over the last member, finding that a hood was pulled up onto his head, the shadow obscuring his face from view.

Kirei somehow knew that piercing eyes were watching her. Of all the members, this one was the creepiest.

"So, what are we going to do with her, Leader sir?" The brunette to her left asked, a smile on his face.

"Eat her?" One of the "twins" asked, pulling out a strangely shaped kunai and twirling it within his fingers.

"Sex. I say we use her for sex. She's not that bad looking, maybe a little thin…but cute for sure." The blue haired man from behind her said, his voice dripping with lust.

Kirei felt every muscle in her body tense at these words. The only reason she was letting Ramada touch her was because he was the one carrying her, but she never imagined when she made the deal that she'd be used for something like that.

The realization quickly came to Kirei that she'd made a deal with the leader of 9 "S-Class" Criminals. She should've been expecting something much worse.

"Let me make this clear to all of you." Ramada began, his voice low with malice and commanding. "If any one of you so much as touches one hair upon her head without her or my permission, you will answer to me."

Blue eyes noticed that almost every member's eyes widened slightly before returning to normal and gulped.

"Do I make myself clear?"

The answer came from every member. "Yes, Leader sir."

He smiled happily, turning to his beloved and nuzzling his face into her neck. "You'll be okay, love." He assured, smelling her hair before turning to look back at his subordinates. "Now, let's head back to base."

As they jumped through the treetops, Kirei looked behind her as much as she could, knowing that it would be her last chance to see Konoha. Unfortunately for her, all she could see were the three members traveling behind them and threes guarding their way.

Home was getting further and further away.

* * *

"This," Ramada said with a bounce in his voice, throwing open the door to the last empty room in the base. "Will be your room." He finished, letting his love walk into the room first, following behind her a moment later.

The room was nothing special to Kirei's still teary eyes. It contained it's own bathroom, the door on her right as she walked in, 2 regular sized beds with a small nightstand separating them, a small lamp placed on top of it. Past the beds at the far wall was a small closet, probably the size of the door way, a tall, 5 drawer dresser beside the closet. Other than that, there was nothing in the room. The walls were painted an off gray color, making it seem more gloomy and dim than it actually was. At least there was a small window near the dresser.

"We'll go out and get you some clothes at a later date, alright, love?" He asked, knowing that she'd need a lot of things, seeing as how he'd just uprooted her from the life she used to have.

She nodded, keeping her face as stoic as possible.

He expected this. It would be a few days before she got set into her new life. "My room is right next to yours. My office is on the other side of this room, so feel free to drop in at any time."

Again, Kirei nodded.

Ramada sighed, letting a slight smile come onto his face, hoping she'd smile in return.

She did not.

"Than I'll leave you to get used to everything." Slightly depressed with how unemotional she was acting, he walked by her, shutting and locking the door behind her for her own safety. With how long it took her to get used to the raven that Ramada despised, it would take forever for her to open up again.

It was a few moments before everything sunk in.

There was no more "home".

There was no more painting, no more music, no more tv, no more film grounds, no more friends, no more Naruto.

No more Naruto.

Kirei took in a shaky breath, trying to gulp down the lump in her throat as she stood in the barren room of the Akatsuki base.

No more Naruto, no more ramen, no more Uncle Yondy or Grandpa Froggy, no more Itachi, no more Danna and Sempai, no more Hidan. No more _**– **_

Kirei blinked away tears as she realized it.

No more Sasuke.

Closing her eyes as if she was in pain, Kirei ran to the bed closest to her, throwing herself on the cold sheets and burying her face in her arms as she cried the hardest she'd ever cried in her life.

_**No more Sasuke.**_


	18. Itachi

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD

_Notes:_ Life. Yeah, that's what's gotten in the way. Basically. For the last 3 weeks, the teachers at my school have been on strike. Because of that, my senior year might get screwed up. Yay! Not. But, all this time has allowed me to write more – up to chapter 24, only one away from the end! So, expect updates every once in a while. And keep an eye out for information on the Sequel in my profile. Hehehe. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter!

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!!

* * *

_Chapter 18 – Itachi_

* * *

"But Dad!" Naruto cried in frustration, staring at his father in disbelief. He tried his hardest not to slam his fists on the arms of the chair he sat in, rage boiling his blood.

Sitting in the chair beside him, Sasuke felt the same way, scowling and glaring at the Hokage. "Minato, you can't do this!" He spoke, much calmer than the blonde, but very enraged.

The Yondaime sighed, shaking his head slightly as he closed his eyes, sitting across from them in his office, the large wood desk separating them. "I'm sorry, boys." He waited a minute, opening his eyes sadly and looking between the two worried boys. "There's nothing I can do."

It had been only one day since Kirei had struck the deal with Ramada, allowing Naruto to get the hospital care he needed. Once he found out the news from Sasuke early this morning, he had the hospital release him on the account that he'd stay at home and come once a week to get a check up. When they'd got settled, both went up to the Yondaime, trying to convince him to do something, anything to get Kirei back.

Unfortunately, it wasn't going well.

"What do you mean there's nothing you can do?!" Naruto roared, trying his hardest not to stand, since he couldn't without help. "Dad, you're the flipping Hokage!!! There's got to be something!"

Sasuke was about to chime in, upset and angry with Minato, but closed his mouth as he saw the Yondaime start to do something he'd never done. He was starting to get angry.

His lip twitched as he closed his eyes, his fists clenching as he stood up to regard the two boys in front of him. "Naruto," He started off, releasing a breath through his nose, trying to calm himself. Minato had always taken pride in never getting upset. "I told you once before and I will state it again. There is nothing I can do to help Kirei. Nothing, okay?"

Sasuke could see the rage Minato was trying to hold back. He recognized it from his own fits of rage.

Nevertheless, Naruto still argued with his father. How could he think of leaving his own niece in the hands of some demented villains?! "No, it's not okay!! She's out there by herself, probably scared and we don't even know what could happen to her!!! For all we know she could be – "

"Don't you think I know that!?" He couldn't hold back anymore, opening his eyes to glare at his son. "It scares the shit out of me too!!" He confessed.

With his outburst, Naruto stared wide-eyed at his father, falling back in his seat. Not once had Naruto seen his father yell at him.

The Yondaime sighed heavily, also falling back into his own seat, looking away from both of them. "Believe me boys, if I could do something, I would. She's like my own daughter and she's all I have left of my little sister," With sad blue eyes, he located a small photo frame on his desk, reaching out for it and pulling it closer to him to look at it. "But I've gone over it a thousand times."

Shocked as he was, Sasuke decided to speak, keeping his voice calm as to not enrage him again. "Gone over what? A rescue mission?" He was upset just as much as Naruto, maybe more, but the Yondaime's outburst had the same effect on both boys.

It shocked them so much, their anger was slowly dissipating. They'd forgotten that the Yondaime was feeling just as they were.

Keeping his eyes on the photo, he nodded. "Yeah. But then I thought, what would happen to her if I sent an attack team? I couldn't forgive myself if she got hurt because we tried to rescue her." He sighed once again, sitting there. Then a thought came to the tall blonde. "Sasuke," He suddenly looked up to the raven. "How was Ramada, as we know him, acting toward Kirei?"

He scowled, remembering the few times they'd come in contact and the previous night. "It's like he's obsessed with her." He'd seen it firsthand; calling her "love", kissing her and holding her.

Minato nodded, a smile coming onto his face. "Good."

Naruto blinked in shock at his father. "WHAT?!" He yelled in confusion. "_**Good**_?! What they hell does that mean?!"

His mood lifting just a bit, the Yondaime smiled at his splitting image. "Think about it, son. If he's obsessed with her like he's in love with her – "

"He won't let her get hurt." Sasuke finished, catching on. The idea was farfetched, but it did make some sense.

Minato nodded. "Yes. Exactly. I mean, we can't be sure of it, but as I explained, there's nothing we can do as of the moment."

Even with this small reassurance, all three were still upset. As powerful ninja, they were helpless to the situation. If they tried a rescue mission, there was the chance that the rescuers could be found by Akatsuki members and as a consequence, the rescuers and Kirei herself could be harmed. If they left it all alone, there was still that chance that they could use her for things they didn't want to think about. Even if Ramada was obsessed with the blonde and keeping her safe, how long could he keep 8 other "S-Class" criminals off of her?

With a wary and tired sigh, Naruto buried his head in his hands, the IV attached to his arm rolling closer. "It fucking sucks. All of it. We're one of the most powerful villages and now we're reduced to being helpless."

Sasuke reached over, rubbing his friend's back to try to help. "We'll find a way, Naruto. We need her just as much as you."

Naruto chuckled. Sasuke was dead on there. "Yeah…" That brought the blonde to wonder. It would be hard, but he could get along without Kirei for a little while. Sasuke…was a different matter.

Everyone had noticed the change in the Uchiha; it was hard not to. Most of that change became because of Kirei, because he was head over heels in love with her. Without her, how would he fare? Would he go back to a depression? And what about sleeping?

"Hey, dobe," Sasuke pushed Naruto just a bit, trying to break the blonde from his thoughts. It was a scary thought to think that Naruto was thinking. "Time to go."

Sighing, Naruto realized what time it was, seeing the fading sky in the windows of his father's office. "Bedtime."

"Good boy." Sasuke patted his head, trying to get a smile or something out of the blonde. Right now, they needed each other.

Naruto smirked at him, waiting for the Uchiha to stand so that he could stand. "I am not a dog. If you want a dog, talk to Kiba."

Sasuke scowled at the name. "He's not smart enough to be a dog." He helped the blonde up, making sure his friend wouldn't be able to fall when they walked down the hall to the bedrooms.

He chuckled once more, bidding his father a waving goodbye, smiling at him to get a smile out of his dad. They'd need to smile as much as possible. "Bye, dad."

"Night." He answered, closing his eyes and sighing when the door shut behind the two. Setting the photo onto the desk, he got up, putting his hands behind his back as he walked over to the large window, looking out at the relatively calm sky.

Blue eyes scanning the city around him, he wondered what, if anything, he could do.

It didn't take him long to realize that there was nothing he could do.

* * *

Kirei sighed, disgusted at the fact that she had no new clothes. She'd just taken a much needed shower, yet she had no new clothes to change into. She had to re-wear the clothes she came in, hoping that when Ramada said he'd take her out to get things, it'd be soon.

Sitting on the bed, she sighed, realizing that she'd spent the last 3 days in this one room, on this bed. It wasn't anything special; a lumpy bed with dull gray sheets and the flattest pillow she'd ever put her head on.

Her first night was spent crying her eyes out, the day spent by trying to sleep with no avail. Ramada had tried to get her to eat, or even come out of her room, but she wasn't hungry. All she wanted to do was cry.

That night was a sleepless one, Kirei too busy thinking about her love and if he was okay. It was only a few days ago that Sasuke admitted he never slept well unless she was around. And without her around, she worried how he'd fare.

Again, the sun rolled around and Kirei tried to find something to do within the one room that she was allowed to be in, finding no computers, no tv, no paper or pencils. All she could do was sit and look out the window.

That night was another sleepless one. Worry had crept into her mind again, but more importantly, she couldn't get to sleep. Something was missing. She couldn't place what it was, maybe Sasuke being there, but she just couldn't.

And now, on her third day, she decided to do something productive and take a shower, even if all the clothes she had were the ones she arrived in, hoping that maybe the aching feeling in her heart might go away. Even though, she knew it wouldn't.

It was a combination of losing the ones she loved and being homesick. The only way to cure that was to either have someone she loved with her or go home, neither of which would happen anytime soon. Kirei was stuck to live with an aching heart.

She sighed once more, trying to find a comfy seat on the lumpy bed, wondering if there was anything in the room she could do. It was boring sitting in the same spot all day and Kirei needed something to keep her busy, especially since her mind was in overload.

Subconsciously, her eyes had latched upon the door that led to the rest of the base. She had to admit that the door made her curious, wondering what was on the other side of that door, what the base was like and, more importantly, who inhabited it.

Getting up and walking to this door, she knew it was locked from the outside for her own safety, but even Kirei knew each lock had it's own opening mechanism. When she came up to it, she found a turn lock, enabling her to unlock it from her side.

"So, he can lock it from the outside, I can lock or unlock it from the inside." She mumbled, fiddling with the lock.

It wouldn't be bad to take just a peak, would it?

Poking out her head as she quietly slid open the door, she looked left and right, finding only one hallway that led to parts unknown. To both sides was a door, probably Ramada's office and room, like he'd mentioned before. Maybe he'd have something for her to do instead of being bored out of her mind.

But he'd also told her not to come out of her room unless she was sure he was around. He didn't want her to get hurt, which was sweet of him. He knew what 8 Missing-Nin's could do and he swore on his life that it wouldn't happen to her.

"Oh well." Kirei mumbled. She was bored. And curious. She wanted something to do and if he wasn't in either room, she'd go back to hers and wait. Leaving her door open to avoid alerting one of the members to her coming out, she slipped out into the hallway, going to the door on her right first, testing the knob.

She sighed. It was locked. "Probably his room." She mused, slightly depressed. She waited for only a minute, keeping her eyes and ears open for anyone coming down the hallway, and with no answer from the room, she walked to her right, past her room and to the other door. Hopefully he'd be in here.

Trying this door, she felt her depression increase, making her frown at the door. It was locked as well. She wasn't sure why, but just before she turned around, she felt as if she were being watched, the hair on the back of her neck stand on edge. It wasn't a good type of watch either.

When she did turn around, she gasped, large blue eyes finding a tall black Akatsuki cloak in her face.

"Sorry, blondie." The blue haired man from before spoke, smirking. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

Her heart already racing, she looked up, finding those lust filled orange eyes on her. "I-it's okay," She tried to say, wishing with all her heart that she hadn't let Sasuke let her go. She also wished he'd randomly show up like he was good at doing. "I was j-just…trying to find…, uh – "

Taking a step forward, the blue haired smirked, finding her scared demeanor adorable. "Ramada?" He suggested, knowing that the girl was Leader's property, but what he didn't know wouldn't kill him… "He's out on an errand."

Kirei's heart went a little faster, body tensing. Even if she couldn't have Sasuke protecting her, she had to rely on Ramada to protect her. And since he wasn't here… Blue eyes flashed for her open door, only a few feet away.

Suddenly, a hand shot out, placing itself firmly on the wall, obstructing Kirei's only escape, her only protection. "Thinking of leaving, huh? I don't think so. As a new member, you should get to know the rest of us…"

With fear, her eyes traveled slowly to meet the orange eyes that stared her down. She felt her back hit the wall behind her, not even realizing she'd been moving away from him. Biting her lip, she felt like her heart would jump out of her chest. "Uh… I'm not supposed to – "

He smiled, leaning closer to the shorter blonde. "Oh, but it's common courtesy, my dear." His other hand reached out, setting itself beside her thin waist, cutting off her last exit. Ramada wouldn't be back for another 15 minutes, so he could have his fun, at least for now.

Before Kirei knew it, his lips were on hers, kissing her with so much force, so much lust. She tried to keep her lips rolled, keep them as still as possible, but it was hard to fight someone with so much strength.

He pulled away for only a second, pressing his body close to hers as he grabbed her jaw, pressing fingers into her soft skin. "Don't fight, blondie. You won't win."

She snarled in response, her body shaking with fear, adrenaline and screaming at her to move.

With his hand on her jaw, he wrenched her head back into the wall, making her whine and close her eyes in pain. "That's what I like to hear." He let her face go, removing his other hand as he slid his hands down her body, latching onto her thighs and picking her up.

Kirei was more helpless now than ever. She couldn't move her feet, his grip on them too tight, swearing she'd keep her hands against his chest, digging her nails into the fabric, trying to keep him away from her. "Get…away…from me!" She cried, hoping someone would hear her, keeping her eyes closed.

Little did she know that if anyone did hear, they might join in on the "fun".

He did not answer her, letting one of his hands slip so that she'd have to grip his torso tighter, moving it to the hem of her shirt, lifting it up just enough to slip his cold fingers onto her silky smooth skin. With a smirk on his face, he kissed her again, not caring how she hated it, how she rolled her lips against him. It was the first contact he'd had with a female in over a year.

Kirei's heart was beating so fast, her breath coming and going between forced kisses. It was nearly impossible for her to move, making her realize that her reflex was useless. The one thing that could actually save her was useless.

He smirked when he felt her relax slightly in defeat. She was finally giving in to him. With this "go ahead", he forced her again, pushing his tongue into her mouth, trying to examine every detail, every taste.

Smirking, Kirei knew this was exactly what she needed. With his tongue in her mouth, she bit down on his tongue as hard as she could.

With this sudden pain, he pulled back, trying to make sure she hadn't cut his tongue open. Either way, she was in for it for even thinking about rejecting him. "You little bitch!" He yelled, slapping her hard across the face, also stepping away from her.

She followed the motion of the slap, falling to the hard wood floors, holding her cheek in pain, eyes squinting out tears from pain.

Orange eyes depleted of lust and full of anger, the blue haired suddenly stiffened.

"Just what do you think you're doing?"

Leader was home.

He wheeled around, facing his Leader with a shocked face, putting his hands up in defense. "It-it wasn't my fault," He lied, trying to find a way out of his punishment that would be coming. "She came onto me!" He pointed to Kirei, who was watching the two of them, still lying upon the floor.

Ramada narrowed his eyes, full knowing that was a lie. Kirei did not liked to be touched, let alone come onto someone she barely knew. "I will deal out punishment later, leave." He spoke, walking over to his frightened blonde.

The blue haired nodded, knowing there was no way to lie to his Leader or get out of any punishment. He vanished a moment later.

Seeing his blonde on the ground, watching him with wide eyes, he crouched down to her level, knowing she was frightened. "I'm sorry," He began, extending his hand to her. "I should've been here, or at least told you I was going out for a little bit."

Kirei nodded in agreement, rubbing her cheek with one hand, feeling her tears. She knew she was crying from pain, but she hadn't realized she was crying out of fear as well.

"Come on, love," He said softly, keeping his hand extended, a smile on his face. "I won't hurt you, you know that."

She did know, but still. Why couldn't she have Sasuke there? Why couldn't she have the one she _**really**_ loved there? With a sigh, she took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet and guide her into her room.

He shut the door behind him, not bothering to lock it, seeing as how no one would come into the room when he was in there. With this thought, he wondered how long he could be there for her.

He, just like every other member, had missions to complete for the money that funded their operation and he couldn't be called back every time something like this happened. They couldn't afford it, financially…but he couldn't afford his love being hurt either.

Despite not knowing him long, Kirei knew there was thought upon his mind. She could tell from the perplexed look on his face, eyes not focused, brows ruffled. She would've asked what he was thinking about, but didn't know Ramada and decided to stay silent.

"Love," He said softly, blinking his eyes back into focus. "I want you to know that I care for you deeply. My original plan was to take your cousin…but when I had him in my grasps, I decided I wanted you."

Kirei listened, blue eyes watching curiously. What was he getting to?

"And I thought that even with missions, I'd be able to protect you from them." Them as in the other members, Kirei knew. "But obviously, that wasn't the case. I can't protect you like I thought I could, and it scares me to think what could happen if I'm not here."

She smiled a bit, finding that even though she was depressed and mad at him from taking her, his worry for her was cheering her up a bit. It wasn't the same as Sasuke being there – or Naruto, or her friends – but it was something.

"So, I'm going to recruit another member, our tenth member," He finally looked at her, trying to smile a bit. "and his priority will be guarding you."

Tilting her head slightly, she watched as he left the room and came back seconds later, a few folders in his hands. "A bodyguard, you mean?"

He smiled at her, happy that despite the danger and her depression, she was speaking. She hadn't spoken to him much at all. "Exactly. He/she will be given missions, just as all members are, but they will be easy, since you will be with him."

She blinked. "Me? On missions?" She questioned, moving just a bit when he sat beside her, laying out the folders on the bed, one by one.

He nodded. "Yes." Having the folders set out, he looked to his love, pulling some hair behind her ear. "But, I'm not going to pick him or her. You will. I want this person to be someone you're comfortable with. I want to see you happy again," He said, trying to keep her sight with his. "Like you were in Konoha."

She sighed, looking down to the light tan folders in front of her. _'That's because Konoha was home and had people I love there…'_ She thought, unable to speak these words to him. She knew it wouldn't be a good thing to tell him that.

"I know it's different here," He began, trying to spin it to a view she could be happy with. "and you miss all the people you knew…but there's a person here who loves you just as much as they did."

She stopped breathing, eyes widening just a bit. Had he just confessed his love for her? Weird, seeing as how they'd really never met before. But, she had to admit that it was a good idea. "I'll pick someone." She reached out, opening each one of the folders.

He smiled, happy that she was finally starting to open up, watching her look at all the photos inside the folders. He wasn't shocked to see her gasp.

All 5 folders contained people she knew, her mouth open in shock, hand coming up to cover her mouth. The one on the very left was blonde, blue/gray eyed; a bomber. The next was a redhead, his gray eyes droopy; a puppet master. The middle had silver hair, lavender eyes bright as always; he was an immortal. The second to the right had scars all over his face, his yellow eyes piercing; he was another immortal. The last made her gasp even more than any of them.

He had long black hair, usually black eyes although in the photo, they were red; he was a Sharingan user.

Ramada nodded, knowing she knew all of them. They were truly perfect if they would leave their village. They could accomplish nearly any mission while keeping Kirei safe, and they knew her. They could keep her happy, which is exactly what Ramada wanted. "I'll give you a few –"

"Him." Kirei stated firmly, pointing to the file on the farthest right. "I want him here."

The black haired man blinked, staring at her. "Are you – " He was surprised as how fast she'd chosen her bodyguard.

She nodded. "Yes. Him."

With a smile, he collected the folders, setting the one she chose on top so that he would know who to contact. "Alright then, love." He kissed her forehead sweetly before getting up, keeping the folders in hand. "I shall contact him as soon as possible. Do you have any second choices in case he refuses?"

Kirei thought. By now he had to of heard that she'd been "kidnapped", hell the whole village must've known. If he had the chance to come with her, to keep her safe, he would, wouldn't he? "He won't refuse." She replied, looking up at Ramada in all honesty. He couldn't with who he was related to.

His smile turned slightly, watching her. Was she that adamant on him? "Okay, love." He nodded, heading off. "Just entertain yourself until I can contact him; there's paper and colored pencils underneath your bed." He informed, watching her slip to the floor and grab both items, chuckling.

"Okay." She hopped back onto the bed, materials in hand. At lead now there was something to do. "And thank you." She said, smiling slightly at him.

That smile made everything better. Just seeing it made him happy, like he'd made the right choice in doing all of this. "You're welcome." He bowed slightly before exiting the room, locking it once more. He sighed as he walked to his left, unlocking this door and heading inside to his office.

He set the folders upon the desk, walking around behind it and sitting in his chair. "You can come in now, Daidera."

Daidera (Day-dear-ah) appeared in the room, knowing that her Leader had come back from his mission long ago. She was the only female of the Akatsuki, purple eyes and platinum blonde hair signifying her from everyone else. "Thank you, Leader Sir."

"Daidera," He began, opening the files on the table, looking at the one Kirei had chosen. "I have decided on our last member."

She raised an eyebrow, knowing he'd spent long hours trying to decide who to ask. "Really, Leader Sir?"

He nodded, examining the file with pleased eyes. His cherished blonde had made a wonderful choice.

She tilted her head, moving behind the desk as well, trying to look into the file. "May I ask who, Leader Sir?"

He sighed contently, leaning back into the chair. "Uchiha Itachi."

* * *

"What the fuck do you mean "She's been kidnapped"?!" Hidan exclaimed, looking at the rather upset and tired Uchiha elder who stood in front of the whole Akatsuki.

When the Uchiha had walked up to the grounds early this afternoon, everyone could see the rings under his eyes and the indescribable depressed look on his face. When they asked what was wrong, he'd told them everything that Sasuke had told him only hours ago.

No one could hide their shock.

"That's it. It was a choice between her and Naruto and obviously, she was the one who left." He answered, monotonously, staring off to nowhere. "It was the smartest choice, seeing as how Naruto is rather important to the village itself – "

"But you're worried about Sasuke, uh." Deidara finished. Even he knew how much Itachi worried about both teens. They all did.

Itachi nodded. He knew the main reason Sasuke became himself was because of Kirei and he wondered how long Sasuke would remain himself before he started to revert back to emo-ness.

Sitting in his Danna's lap, Deidara removed his Danna's hands, getting up and walking over to the distressed Uchiha, patting his back. "It'll be okay, uh. I'm sure it will."

"Yeah," Sasori chimed in, also getting up. "We'll keep our eyes on Sasuke," He looked back to the others, nodding. "Won't we?"

Others nodded in approval.

Hidan volunteered to move in with the Uchiha's.

This made Itachi shake his head, chuckling. "I don't think it's that bad yet, Hidan. Plus, if you moved in, Kakuzu would too." As always, Itachi was right.

Kakuzu and Hidan simply narrowed their eyes at him, knowing he was right, but also resenting the statement. It still made Hidan smile, thinking about how they'd live in the absolutely amazing Uchiha Manor. That place was like a palace.

But just as soon as Itachi had been cheered up – slightly, in the least – everything seemed to change. They all noticed the presence that had been there once before, the presence that had gone after Kirei.

Hidan was the first to speak to the black haired man in the mock Akatsuki cloak, growling at him as all other members glared. "Who the fuck do you think you are, coming to Konoha?!"

Ramada, as Itachi knew him, kept his eyes on the Uchiha. "I have a proposition for you."

Itachi ruffled his eyebrows, making sure to keep his Sharingan eyes on this man. If he was lucky, Kirei was nearby too. "And that is?"

"I'd gladly answer that when your group is not around you." He answered quickly. He knew better than to outright say something, especially since this was the real Akatsuki he was dealing with. His own group had been based off these men and one woman. They were the ultimate.

Itachi thought much quicker than he needed to. "Alright." If he was lucky, Kirei was nearby and maybe, just maybe, Itachi could steal her back.

Everyone looked at Itachi, shocked. Did he really just agree to have a secret meeting with Ramada?! The one who stole Kirei right from under their noses?!

"It's alright, guys," Itachi told them, sensing their confusion. "I'll be fine." And so, Itachi walked toward the man who stood a few feet from their group.

Ramada smiled. "Great. Just follow me."

Both vanished moments later.

* * *

Ramada appeared only seconds before Itachi, knowing the wooded area around them very familiar. They were just out of Konoha's borders, allowing them to talk about whatever they wanted without the fear of ANBU attacking them or reporting them to the Hokage.

"What are we doing here?" Itachi asked, showing no emotion on his face, wanting to get right to the point. He did not want to be anywhere around this man, this disgusting man.

Ramada chuckled, expecting no less from the Uchiha. "As I've already said, I have a proposition for you."

The raven narrowed his eyes, making sure to keep his distance from Ramada. This was the Leader of the fake Akatsuki, after all.

Sighing, the leader closed his eyes. It seemed Itachi wouldn't take this deal like his love had thought. "To understand the meaning of this – "

"Get to the point."

Ramada nodded in compliance. _**Jeez**_. "You already know I've taken Kirei-chan to my base."

Itachi still made no movement. He wouldn't until he understood exactly why the most hated man in Konoha appeared before him with a proposition. If it was to join Akatsuki, his answer – Kirei there or not – would be no. Itachi needed to stay for Sasuke, to make sure his brother didn't loose it.

"When I took her, I knew the other members of Akatsuki would be…_**excited**_, to say the least." He added, trying to find the right words to convey the meaning behind it.

The raven watched, his interest increasing every time the man spoke. What exactly was he getting to?

"Knowing this, I knew I had to protect her, keep her away from them. But today made me realize that I cannot do this deed on my own." He said, keeping his eyes square with the menacing red eyes that were on him.

"…" Itachi knew where this was heading, or at least had some clue to what Ramada had in mind.

"I come to you, Uchiha Itachi, to ask you to discard your village and join my Akatsuki as a member, but most importantly, a bodyguard for Kirei-chan." Ramada informed, watching as Itachi's normally narrowed eyes widened. He guessed that Itachi wasn't expecting that. "And because I find it relevant to your decision, I did not pick you personally to be asked to join. _**Kirei-chan**_ was the one who chose you out of a select five."

Itachi stood stark still, a bit shocked. Ramada had come to him before, asking him to join and even then he refused. But now…Could Itachi really refuse when it was Kirei at stake? When she was the one who requested him, out of all people?

Ramada also expected this from the Uchiha. "I see that you're thinking about it, which is a good thing. To answer any questions, you'd be with her at all times, even during missions, protecting her from anything. Anyone with your caliber of skills would find this easy, hence the reason I had your name on file. You'd be sent on missions around the area, but your priority would be protecting her and of course, keeping her happy." He explained further. "And I will give you some time to think about it. Time to pack and say goodbye; if that is your choice. I shall return at sunset."

The elder Uchiha blinked as Ramada vanished, knowing that this offer couldn't be kept in his mind. He needed to consult the one person who might know what to do; the Yondaime.

* * *

"Itachi?" The blonde, blue eyed Hokage asked, seeing the rather perplexed raven standing in front of him. "What are you doing here?" He motioned to his cluttered office, also motioning for the raven to take a seat. It had been a long time since he'd seen Itachi, so he had a strange feeling that it was serious.

"Half the city knows about Kirei being kidnapped, correct?" Itachi asked, setting his elbows on his knees, putting his hands together, obsidian eyes watching the Hokage.

He ruffed his eyebrows at the Uchiha. Why did he just show up if he was just asking some simple questions? "Of course."

"And about Akatsuki?" He asked.

The Yondaime shook his head slightly, not following the Uchiha's questioning. "Yes. Itachi, what is this all about?"

Sighing, Itachi removed his sight from the Hokage, looking down at the ground. "Ramada came to me today with a proposition, and Minato, I don't know what to do."

Well, that was a shock.

Minato fell back into his seat, blue eyes staring in awe at the fact that Itachi, one of the best Ninja's of their time, to ever grace Konoha, had no idea what to do. "What did he say?" He decided to ask, seeing as how that was the only question coming to his mind.

He sighed again. "He asked me to join Akatsuki again, but this time," His eyes flickered up to the blue eyes of the Hokage. "Not because he needed me just as a member, but because he wanted me to protect Kirei."

Again, his brows ruffled in confusion. "Protect Kirei? Why? Is she being…?"

Itachi shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, signaling that he didn't know. "He said he was trying to protect her from the rest of the members, but he couldn't do it himself and had her pick someone to be her "bodyguard". According to him, I'd be with her at all times, even on missions." Itachi explained just as Ramada told him.

The Yondaime sighed, closing his eyes momentarily. "Alright… well," He started off, not exactly sure of what to tell Itachi. "I can see why you're confused."

He knew of the elder Uchiha's struggles. He knew what the two siblings had gone through their whole lives, even saved their own lives. Everything that Itachi had done after that moment of trying to kill his own younger brother was for the benefit of Sasuke. He felt it was the least he could do, to make up for that "mistake".

Because of that, anything important to Sasuke immediately became important to Itachi. So long as Sasuke was happy, Itachi could be happy.

"I just don't know, Minato. Since Kirei is your niece and all…I figured it would be right to go and maybe even become a double agent, relaying information to you all the while keeping her safe."

"But," Minato added, knowing Itachi was about to say it. It was rather obvious.

Itachi sighed, nodding his head. "But, I'm worried about Sasuke as well. Without your niece to keep him happy, there's only so much time before he starts getting depressed again and back then, even I had a hard time keeping track of him, making sure he was okay and not trying to run away or kill himself or do something stupid."

The Yondaime's eyes light up, a slight smile coming onto his face. With this little revelation, he knew almost exactly what Itachi had on his mind. "Itachi, listen to me." He waited until the confused Uchiha looked up at him. "You can't solve all the world's problems. It's nearly impossible to solve them all on your own."

"I'm not trying to solve the world's problems Minato – " Itachi retorted, an odd streak of anger running through the Uchiha. He always had control of his emotions, so when something broke through, it meant he was rather upset.

"No, you're trying to solve _**Sasuke's**_ problems. It's logical that you're worried about him, Itachi, it really is. But there's a point when you have to start living _**your**_ life." The Yondaime answered, sighing just afterward. "Now, let's get back to the point."

Itachi listened silently, knowing Minato was right. He wasn't the Hokage for nothing.

He leaned forward, setting his elbows on the edge of the desk, lacing his fingers together. "Let me get this straight, Ramada came to you with a "job" offer to leave Konoha and join Akatsuki, all because he need someone to protect Kirei?" He asked, trying to make sure he understood what Itachi was telling him.

Itachi nodded.

"And you're thinking about accepting this offer and become a double agent, relaying any information you get to me whenever you get the chance?" He asked further.

Again, he nodded. "Maybe even get letters between Kirei and Sasuke, just for their sakes."

Ah, so _**that**_ was what it was about. "You're worried about them being separated?" He knew the two had had a relationship since Sasuke's birthday, but wondered why Itachi was so protective of the two and worried about them being separated.

Itachi sighed for the forth time that night, the most he'd sighed in forever. "Minato, there's something you've got to understand. After everything that happened between the two of us, Sasuke changed. He became really depressed, really separated from everyone, even me. It was scary to watch him become a shell of his former self, knowing that he wasn't coming back." He kept eye contact with the Hokage at all times, his hands sometimes moving to express his points. "At least until he met your son. From there, he very slowly started to change. It snowballed when your niece came in the picture."

Minato knew where this was going. "And with her, he became himself again?"

Itachi looked out the large glass doors of the Hokage's office. "He was _**happy**_ again, Minato." He spoke, his voice somewhat happy and yet sad. "He was sleeping again, he was my little brother again."

Itachi was doing this all for the sake of his brother's happiness. "Itachi – "

"Minato, I don't care if you use me or not as a double agent, but I think I'm going to accept it. I can't let him go through something like this and be totally helpless to him. I've _**got**_ to do something. I can't sit back and do nothing when I have the chance to fix all of this." The raven shook his head, bringing his sight to a smiling Yondaime.

"I think it's a great idea." He said, offering a smile to the distraught Uchiha. "I just worry about what Sasuke's going to think. He's going to think you're leaving him too."

Sighing, the elder Uchiha nodded. "I know, but I think I know how I'm going to deal with it…"

He nodded in approval, keeping his smile to reassure the Uchiha. "I will make out transcripts and send them to the other villages, letting them know of the Akatsuki and that you are there undercover. You and Kirei shall not be touched by allies." He pulled out his pen and a few scripts of paper. "I just need you back here later to sign, to inform them that you know of this plan."

Itachi stood up, confident that he was making the right move, the right choice for his and his brother's sake. "Ramada will be back at sunset for my decision so I'll swing by before leaving."

"Sounds good." Minato nodded again, blue eyes watching the raven. "Good luck with Sasuke."

Itachi huffed, just about to teleport back home to explain everything to Sasuke. "I'll need it. Thank you, Minato."

The blonde gave him a smile. "See you in a few hours."

"See you."

* * *

When Itachi arrived home, it was apparent that he wasn't alone in the house. There were shouts and sounds of a video game coming from the living room.

"Damn you, teme!! You are so _**not**_ gonna kick my ass at this!!!"

Naruto. Who could mistake _**him**_?

"Dobe," Itachi heard the bland voice of his younger brother, Sasuke. "You already lost."

"Oh." Came the meek reply.

Itachi couldn't help but chuckle when he walked in, alerting both boys to his presence. "Guitar Hero?" He raised an eyebrow, seeing the end results on the screen of the tv within the living room. Sasuke had obliterated Naruto.

Naruto set his guitar aside, pointing an accusing finger at the younger raven. "Itachi, your brother cheats!! He uses his Sharingan to slow down the notes and make sure he gets all of them!!! Yell at him, do _**something**_!!!" He screamed.

"It's true." Sasuke said blandly. Hey, cheating was cheating.

Itachi looked back and forth between the pouting blonde and the stoic raven. "Nice use of the Sharingan. I'll hafta try it against Kisame some time."

"_**ITACHI**_!!"

"You're welcome." Sasuke replied, hitting the green button on the neck of the guitar that took them back to the song list, enabling them to choose a new song.

Itachi sighed silently. It was now or never to break the news to Sasuke. "Sasuke," The elder Uchiha began, watching his little brother as he turned to look at him, eyes holding some sort of sadness within them. "can I talk to you?"

Sasuke ruffled his eyebrows, wondering what his brother could want. Itachi never asked to speak with him, always just telling him. "Sure…I guess."

"With_**out**_ Naruto, if you don't mind." He said, glancing over to the equally confused blonde. Naruto could find out later, but this was a matter between brothers.

"Sure, sure. I'll just wait downstairs." He nodded in compliance, getting up and heading to the downstairs of the Uchiha Manor. Before heading down completely, he flashed a confused look to Sasuke, almost like he was asking if Sasuke knew what was going on.

Sasuke returned the confused look. He was just as stumped as Naruto, watching his older brother sigh and sit in one of the chairs near the couch. "What's up, Itachi?"

"I have some news that you may not like, Sasuke." Itachi started, not known how else to break it to his brother. This was, not in any way, going to be easy.

He still regarded him with confusion, although his nerves began to twitch and a feeling in the pit of his stomach told him he definitely wasn't going to like this. Something was wrong.

With his silence, Itachi once again sighed, making that the most he'd sighed in his life. "…I'm not really sure how to break all this to you, seeing as how you've just lost Kirei, but – "

Sasuke definitely wasn't liking where this was going, knowing Itachi had always been straight to the point – like himself – and never beat around the bush, which is what he was doing at the moment. "Just get to the point, Itachi. You're freaking me out a little bit."

He nodded, diverting his sight to the ground. He couldn't stand to look at his little brother. "I'm going to be joining Akatsuki tonight."

It took only second for Sasuke's brain to register the words, his jaw dropping, eyes widening, focused solely upon his older brother who refused to look at him. "…"

At the silence from his brother, he took the chance of looking up. When he did, he winced ever so slightly, hurt by his brother's face.

"What?! You're leaving me too?!" Sasuke exclaimed, hands balling into fists. He wasn't sure whether to be hurt or angered. Or both. He knew only one thing.

He couldn't lose both Kirei _**and**_ Itachi – to the same people, no less. Sasuke couldn't make it, not by himself.

"I know it's difficult to accept, but – "

"_**Difficult**_?!" Sasuke roared, standing as he flung the guitar shaped controller into the chair opposite of Itachi, making the chair fly backwards. "I finally start having a life worth living, I'm finally happy, and some bastard comes and rips it right out of my fucking hands and now you're telling me you're leaving too?! What the _**fuck**_ is that Itachi?! What kind of brother – "

"I'm doing it for you, Sasuke." Itachi replied softly, not wanting to hear his brother's last statement, keeping his eyes on the ground, still unable to look at his brother.

This seemed to make Sasuke even more enraged. "What?! How the fuck can you be doing it for me when _**you're**_ the one who's fucking leaving?! I can't live here by myself, Itachi!"

To calm his brother, Itachi stood up, stepping closer and setting a calm hand on his brother's shoulder, deeply saddened eyes locking with his younger brother's confused eyes. "I'm going to protect Kirei."

Anger left Sasuke within seconds, his fists releasing, energy seeming to leave him as well, making him fall back onto the couch. "…but…" Words seemed to fail the Uchiha, making him bury his face in his hands. "Why? How?"

Itachi sat next to him, keeping his hand on his shoulder. "To make it simple, Sasuke, Ramada came to me today, asking me to join so that I could be Kirei's bodyguard, to protect her from the other members and anything else. My job is also to make her happy, and I think you should know that she picked me. Not Ramada. _**She**_ did…Probably because of you."

Sasuke listened in silence, taking his hands away from his face, watching how his brother explained his reasoning and also how he couldn't look at Sasuke.

Guilt was the reason Itachi couldn't look at him. Sasuke had just lost the person who meant the most to him and now he was loosing the second most meaningful person in his life on a whim? It made Itachi feel guilty, even though he was doing all of this _**for**_ Sasuke. "I've already spoken with Minato…and we've decided that I will be undercover for Konoha, going back and forth and relaying information to the Yondaime. But as Kirei's bodyguard, I'll be with her at all times and – "

Sasuke's eyes widened, his mind linking the words and his thoughts. "You'll be able to get things back and forth between us?" He asked, words flying from his mouth, very excited. Even if he couldn't see her or hold her, he could still communicate with her.

Itachi nodded, his guilt lifting a little when he saw a slight smile on Sasuke's face. "Yes, Sasuke. I can probably get letters and small things through, but not too much else."

Onyx eyes were larger than usual, staring at his older brother in awe. "Can I start now?"

Chuckling, Itachi nodded. "You should, seeing as how you suck at writing letters."

"Shut up." Was the gritting reply.

Standing up as he tousled his brother's hair, he smiled. "Now, I've got to pack a few things, but I'll be heading out just before sunset. I'll probably be able to keep my phone, or get a new one…but if you need something, call me." He informed.

"You won't let me talk to Kirei at times…would you?" Sasuke asked, looking up at his brother with pleading eyes.

He shrugged his shoulders, removing his hand. "It'd probably be dangerous…but maybe if we're on a mission far from base. Who knows, if she's with me, we might stop in Konoha for a visit."

"I might actually consider you my brother if you did that." Sasuke replied quickly, his heart starting to race at the thought of seeing Kirei again. Even if it had only been about four days, those four days had been a few very long and boring four days. Sasuke didn't know how long a month would be, let alone a few months without her.

Itachi let out another chuckle. "Alright, alright. Call Naruto back up before you forget him. I'll be back later."

Naruto was here? Oh yes, he was. Playing Guitar Hero with Sasuke. The raven almost forgot, excited with the news and yet depressed.

With the explanation Itachi had given, Sasuke understood – to a point – at why he was doing this. He was putting his life on the line, all for Sasuke and Kirei. Just so that they could be together some way, communicate in some way. And knowing this made him happy. Kirei would be safe with Itachi. He wouldn't have to worry about her or what was going on. He only had to worry about when the next letter would be coming.

But he also felt depressed. Itachi was really going all out for them. He could be killed if Ramada found out about the double cross, never minding the fact that after all these years, Itachi _**still**_ felt guilty for being used by their parents. He still felt that he'd owed Sasuke something, anything to make his life better.

It was the ultimate form of brotherly love. The ultimate gesture.

"_**Teme**_!" Naruto said, shaking the spaced out Sasuke by the shoulders.

"Shit!" Sasuke cursed, finding the blonde's eyes a little too close. "Don't scare me like that!!"

The blonde had thought it was weird. Just as they'd sat down to play Guitar Hero again, Sasuke zoned out. What had they talked about before? "What's going on?"

"Short version;" Sasuke began, restoring the chair he'd flung his controller into to it's former position, sitting back on the couch as he pulled a few pieces of paper and a pencil out from a small drawer in the coffee table beside his feet. "Itachi's leaving to join Akatsuki to protect Kirei."

"_**WHAT**_?!" The blonde exclaimed, shocked to the core by Sasuke's acceptance of something this drastic so easily.

"Best part of it is," Sasuke continued, glancing to the blonde, a small smile on his face. "He's playing double agent and he says he might be able to get letters to Kirei."

Now Naruto understood. It was all a big organized plot by Itachi and Sasuke and probably his dad. At least Sasuke could explain it to where he could understand it. "Hand over some of that paper."

Sasuke was glad to.

Itachi was a little bit worried when he found the two scribbling on paper, leaving their video game untouched. When he realized they were busy writing letters, he smiled and shook his head.

At least something was starting to look up.

* * *

Sighing, Itachi came to realize that this would be his last time in the Akatsuki film grounds, with his friends no less, for a long time. If Ramada's Akatsuki was based upon the one in the show, he had an idea of what it was going to be like and an idea of how long he was going to be there.

His friends had already heard the news of Itachi's leaving and even though filming had ended hours ago, they had stayed to see their friend off.

"Let us know if you ever end up around Suna, uh." Deidara began, standing in the arms of his red headed puppet master.

Sasori nodded, agreeing with his blonde. "Yeah, we'll help out if you need it."

"As long as I can." Itachi replied, thankful for the offer.

"Or the Land of Waves." Kisame added, not wanting to be left out. This was his best friend leaving, after all. He wasn't going to just watch him go.

The raven nodded to him as well, checking to make sure he had everything he needed before Ramada came. A phone, some clothes to take, some things Sasuke had taken from Kirei's loft for the blonde, and the two letters Naruto and Sasuke spent hours on. So far, he had everything he would need. He figured everything else, food wise and sleep wise – minus clothes – were supplied by the base.

"So I see you've decided to join." Ramada spoke, appearing only feet from the group of 9 members, a smile on his face. "Wonderful."

"Put a fucking sock in it." Hidan mumbled, first glaring at the man, then looking away. He decided that this man – if he could be called a man – was too disgusting to look at.

The leader disregarded the comment, smile never wavering as he watched his new member. What a prize Itachi was; someone who could accomplish nearly any mission, keep Kirei safe and keep her happy, all the while bringing in much needed money for the operation to stay alive.

As Ramada thought happily about his new member, Itachi said his goodbyes to his friends, knowing it would be a long time before he saw them again. "Would you guys keep your eyes on Sasuke for me?" He asked, knowing his brother would be alright, but still having that worry bug in his system.

"Sure," Sasori nodded. "We can stay for a couple days in the house every once in a while." He replied, motioning to himself and Deidara. It was the least they could do.

"No sex." Itachi commanded. "Not in my house."

"What, uh?! That's not fair!" Deidara exclaimed, blue gray eyes staring wide in disbelief at the Uchiha.

"Of course it's fair. My house, my rules." He replied with a smirk, waiting for the blonde's retort.

Deidara did have a retort all ready for the raven. "But you won't be there!!" He exclaimed, eyes still wide, feeling his Danna's arms come around him.

Itachi's eyes lowered, becoming half lidded like Sasori's. "I don't think Sasuke wants to hear your screaming." He stated flatly.

Snickers went through the group, wondering what kind of statement Deidara had for that.

"If he doesn't mind, then can we have sex?"

It took Itachi a minute to realize the blonde was absolutely serious. "No, Deidara," He shook his head, closing his eyes at the bomber. "No matter what, you can not in any way have sex in my house."

Deidara's jaw dropped, eyes still wide in disbelief. "Danna, you can stay, but if I can't even think about sex, it's not worth staying." He crossed his arms, looking away from his friend and beginning to pout.

"If you won't stay, I sure as hell will." Hidan offered, a sly smirk on his face.

"Oh, won't Sasuke _**love**_ that?" Konan mumbled, rolling her eyes. Everyone knew how much Sasuke loved having Hidan around.

But just as the laughter had started, it died down, bringing back the seriousness and reality of the situation.

"I guess I'll see you later, guys." Itachi started off, with a heavy sigh, looking back into the city.

The others watched, some smiles vacant, other's only slightly, trying to find some good in the situation. There were no more words spoken after Itachi's. How could words be spoken? There weren't any for this type of situation.

So, the 8 members of the true Akatsuki watched as their member, their friend walked away from them, joining the other cloaked man, vanishing within a poof of smoke.

Standing there for minutes after Itachi had left, the group couldn't help but feel helpless to the situation. They were the Akatsuki! An elite group made up of S-class Ninja who could only stand by and watch.

Recently, that's all anyone seemed to be able to do.

Stand by and watch.

* * *

"What about the other members?" Itachi asked, having already had a tour of the entire Akatsuki base and not seeing a trace of anyone living there. It seemed to him that no one lived there.

Ramada shook his head, leading the new member down the very hallway where his office and Kirei's room was. "You do not need to worry about them unless you get into a confrontation with them." He answered, pulling out a set of keys from his pocket.

Itachi saw this and ruffled his eyebrows. He kept Kirei locked up in her own room?

The other black haired man noticed the confusion. "I keep it locked for her own good. She can unlock it from the inside." He informed with a smile, coming to the middle door of the three in the hallway.

"I see." He answered softly, the door in front of the two unlocking rather easily, Ramada opening the door and allowing himself inside, Itachi following. He saw the same room Kirei had seen. He couldn't believe how dull it was, telling himself that anything was more exciting than this room.

Coming further into the room, Ramada was not surprised to find Kirei upon the bed closest to the door, bored out of her mind, stoic face portraying it all. Even though he hadn't been around her that much, he could easily tell she was getting sadder and sadder every day. "Could you come here, love?" He asked with a smile, tilting his head slightly.

She did, getting up coming to stand beside the older man, looking at the raven who stood across from her with a blank look.

Itachi was shocked by her reaction – actually, her lack of reaction. She seemed to be turning into what Sasuke was. A shell of her former self, standing there as Ramada set a hand on her shoulder, eyes blank as blank could be.

"I already know that you two are acquaintances…" Ramada started, a bit uncomfortable with the silence between them. "So I shall leave you to get reacquainted and return later. If there are any problems, I am only a door away." He left quickly, shutting the door behind him, not bothering to lock it, seeing as how Itachi was in the room with her.

Itachi stood directly across from Kirei, not sure of whether to go over and hug her or set his bag down and let her do whatever she liked. Although, as he looked her over again, he noticed those blank eyes were no longer blank, they were glossed over.

Kirei couldn't hold her tears back any longer, finally having someone there with her. It was what she wished and hoped for. It may not have been Sasuke or Naruto, but hell, it was someone she loved. It was _**someone**_.

Itachi watched as tears slipped from her eyes and only seconds later, he was glomped by the crying blonde. He looked down at her, throwing his bag onto the nearby bed, setting his arms hesitantly around her, trying to soothe her. "Shhh, it's okay." He said softly, feeling every sob and tear against his chest.

She gripped the cloak he wore, squeezing her eyes closed. "I'm so scared!!" She cried, feeling the Uchiha's hand petting her head.

He smiled slightly, looking down at her. "It's okay, Kirei," He began, gently pulling her away, kneeling to have her sight level with his. "I'm here now, I won't let anything happen to you."

She hiccupped, watching as he used his thumb to dry tears from her cheeks.

"Okay?" He asked, knowing she needed confirmation right now. She'd just spent the last four days without anyone she knew and now someone was there for her, even though she didn't believe it. It was hard to accept, but he'd make sure she would. She was like his little sister.

She nodded, still crying softly. "…yeah."

He gave her a soft smile, reaching into his now tear stained cloak, trying to find something that would make her happy. "I've got something for you that I think you'll want."

She watched with curious eyes, seeing the two white pieces of paper in his hand as he pulled them from his cloak. "Like what?"

"Letters." He answered, seeing blue eyes light up for the first time in those four days.

She immediately snatched them from his hands, trying to figure out which one was from who, trying to find Sasuke's first. Naruto's could wait a bit. She went to the bed she'd been on, the one Itachi's bag now rested on, sitting upon the edge and tearing the letters open.

Itachi wasn't surprised, shaking his head and chuckling at the now occupied blonde.. He proceeded to unpack what few things he had and yet keep an eye on her. Sasuke warned him that she might be sick from not eating, tired from not sleeping, or just upset in general. Since Itachi saw her as a little sister, he wanted to make sure she was okay.

Kirei never noticed Itachi moving at all, to enveloped in her own little world, reading the letter Sasuke had wrote her.

_'Princess,' _Well, Kirei already loved the beginning. _'I've never actually written a letter, so forgive me if this really sucks. I know it hasn't been that long, about four days, but I still miss you. I never realized how boring it is without you around. Sure Naruto keeps us on our toes…but still…I hope you're doing okay too. I've told Itachi to make sure you eat and sleep, and you'll probably write back and tell me the same thing. I'm going to try and sleep tonight, at least, try to get sleep. It's been hard without being able to hold you, to know you're safe…but with Itachi there…'_

Itachi noticed that Kirei hadn't stopped smiling since she'd opened the letter. "He spent all afternoon writing that."

It took a minute, but blue eyes tore away from the paper in her hands, looking up to meet watching onyx eyes. "What?" She asked, too absorbed in the letter to catch what he said.

"He spent all afternoon trying to make that perfect for you." Itachi repeated, watching how, once again, blue eyes lit up. "Let's just say he pretty much wasted a tree and used up a whole pencil."

For the first time in the four days she'd been there, Kirei giggled. But she remained silent, her eyes drifting back to the letter.

_'I'm still going to worry about you, I always will. I can't help it; I love you too much. I know it's mushy and stuff…but it's true. AWWW YOU SO CUTE, TEME!!!'_

"I'm guessing Naruto got to read a little?" Kirei asked, looking over at Itachi as he put away some of his things.

He shrugged his shoulders, coming over to see where she had pointed to. When he read the line, he laughed. "I guess so."

"I'm surprised he left it in there." Kirei mused, going back to the letter.

Itachi figured Sasuke didn't even know about it.

_'I really don't know what else to say, Princess. I've come to realize it's hard writing a letter. There're so many things you want to say, want to show, but you can't. You're only limited to words. And don't get me wrong, words have their power…but there's only so much you can say. Especially when Naruto steals all the paper.'_ Kirei giggled. _'I bet you giggled there. :D There. I put a smiley face, just for you, Princess. But getting back to my point, I love you. I never thought it would happen to me, like every other person does, but it did. I guess our life is turning out like a real life Beauty and the Beast, huh?'_

Kirei thought about it, her head tilting a little. Going back, there were so many things that seemed "Disney/Princess"-like, almost like they were living a fairytale. She felt her eyes soften, a warm feeling coming into her heart. This letter was all she needed to cheer her up.

_'And just like in any fairytale, once the Princess is kidnapped, her Prince comes after her. I will come save you, Kirei. No matter what, I will come for you.'_

Kirei could feel tears brimming on her eyelids, one hand holding the letter, the other coming up to wipe those fresh tears away.

_'With all the love I have, Sasuke.'_

Sniffling, the blonde wiped her eyes, folding the letter and hiding it underneath the mattress she sat on to keep it hidden. She was smart enough to know that Ramada could never see it. Plus, she wanted to keep it just in case she wasn't feeling all that happy.

"Now that you're finished," Itachi began softly, sitting on the bed opposite of Kirei to make sure she was listening. "I have something to tell you. But you cannot tell anyone after this conversation, okay?" He asked, his voice hushed. For all he knew, Ramada was listening in somehow.

Unsure of what else to do, Kirei nodded. "Okay."

He sighed heavily, closing his eyes momentarily. "I am a double agent for Konoha right now. I'm here only to protect you, make sure you're okay and nothing else. Any news that Ramada tells me will be reported to your Uncle, along with any letters you write to Sasuke or that he writes to you, understand?"

Blinking, Kirei did understand. "But…doesn't that put your life in danger?"

His lips slightly turned upwards into a smile. With all this, she was still worried about him. "Yes," He nodded. "It does."

"Than why are you doing it?" She asked, very confused with the statement.

"Because I owe it to Sasuke." He answered softly. "You see, Kirei, I felt like I owed him something, ever since – "

"You tried to kill him." She cut in, knowing the story almost as well as he did, if not better. "But you don't, Itachi. You raised him after everything that happened, made sure he was safe. Because of you, he was able to meet Naruto and Hinata, and a whole bunch of other people. And me."

"I see your point," He said after a moment of silence. "but by being a double agent and keeping the two of you connected, even though it could be fatal, I can finally say I've done something for my brother that isn't trying to kill him."

She nodded, not completely understanding and yet understanding. She knew she couldn't ever completely know what was going through Itachi's mind, but it was important to him and if he wanted to do it, she wasn't going to stop him.

"So any information you get, or anything happens, you let me know. That's what I'm here for, after all." He began again, wondering what she was thinking about with how silent she had been. Sasuke told him that unless she was working on art, whenever she was dead silent, she was thinking.

She nodded happily. "Okay, Ita-san." She smiled, bringing back the nickname she'd given him. "But I wanna," She yawned, bringing a hand to cover her mouth. "sleep. I'm actually sleepy."

He couldn't help but smile at her, watching as she crawled into the middle of the lumpy bed, trying to fluff her flat pillow and set her head on it. Getting up, he shook his head at her, still smiling. "Good night, then." Taking off the cloak around his shoulders, he set it on top of her, watching as she snuggled into it.

She snuggled because brother's smelt alike. "Night, Ita-san." She said, voice a little more hushed than usual. It had been the first night since coming to Akatsuki that she'd been tired. Because of her tiredness, she hoped she'd be able to get some sleep. Just like Sasuke had said, it was hard to sleep without him being with her.

Sighing heavily, she drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face, wrapped up in a cloak that smelled similar to the one she loved.

She didn't know when, but she knew he would come. Her Prince would come to save her.


	19. Inches

**_The Actors_**

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD

_Notes:_ Lalala, so, something happened to me over the weekend that I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy. My friend/sister (we're sisters on the inside :D) took me and a few friends to see Twilight for her birthday, and I must admit, I did NOT want to see it. Twilight was just this big fad to me that every girl seemed to be Obsessed about and I had no interest in it. I mean, yeah, vampires are incredibly awesome…but I just didn't like it. But, I went because she really loves it and wanted to see it. Lo and behold, it was amazing. I mean, I can't describe it in words and I find that I can describe ANYTHING in words (obviously xD). If you felt the way I did, I would just go see it. It's amazing. Anyway, enough of my ramblings, please enjoy the chapter! It's one of my favorites (besides the Prom chapter)!!

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!!

* * *

_Chapter 19 – Inches_

* * *

It had been nearly a week and a half since Kirei's departure from Konoha, only about a week since Itachi's. Everyone on the film grounds – Akatsuki or no – noticed it was a very long, boring week.

They also seemed to notice the difference within the only remaining Uchiha in Konoha. Who couldn't?

For the first few days after both Kirei and Itachi had left, Sasuke was relatively normal. He still smiled every so often, still said "good morning" and "see ya" at the end of the day and he still stayed around the group.

But as the days passed on, they couldn't help but notice the smiles vanish and the "good mornings" and "see ya"'s become non existent. He still stayed around his friends, even though everyone knew that that would also vanish.

They had attributed the first few days of normalcy to shock, to the fact that his only two real members of family were gone hadn't set into his system. Once they did, he slowly started to revert back to his shell.

"Hina," Naruto began, standing at the food table next to his girlfriend, setting his jacket upon her shoulders. It was warmer than the jacket she had on and since winter was on it's way, he didn't want her to get sick. "I'm worried. I don't want to see him revert back to "Emo Bastard mode"." He said softly, watching as Sasuke walked away from the whole of the group of their friends because of their 10 minute break.

She saw this as well, pulling her boyfriend's jacket closet to her. "I know, sweetie," She began, glancing over at him. "None of us do."

He sighed heavily, closing his eyes. "Than what do we do?" He asked her, voice unbelievably sad. For once in his life, he saw his best friend happy. Now that he wasn't happy, Naruto wanted to do whatever he could to help. "I mean, we're his friends. We should do something, shouldn't we?"

Hinata nodded, completely agreeing with him. "Yes, we should. It's our duty as friends." She answered. "But I've got an idea that might help him…so delay our break as much as you can, okay?" She asked him, watching as pristine blue eyes met with nearly clear eyes.

He was a little confused, wondering what was on that genius mind of hers. "…alright, I'll try. Watch yourself, though. He can get a little – "

She nodded. "I know, I'll be okay." Keeping his jacket on her shoulders, she went around the table, heading for the raven that continued to walk away from the grounds. "Thanks, love!"

Naruto nodded to her, giving a wave as she walked toward their friend. He hoped that whatever she had planned would work.

* * *

Walking up to the raven, Hinata was sure that he hadn't even taken notice of her. "Sasuke?" She asked softly, trying not to startle him.

Hands in his pockets, he looked behind him, turning when he found Hinata there. He hadn't even noticed her following him. "Yes?" He asked, looking down at the Hyuuga with a blank look.

She had a feeling he'd have a blank look, eyes not having as much depth as they usually did. "Well, we've all kind of noticed that you've – "

"Started getting depressed again?" He asked, snapping a little bit.

She wasn't surprised from the snap, knowing his anger wasn't directed toward her and toward something deeper. "Yeah. I wanted to know if there was anything I could do to help."

"Not really." He replied, turning back around and continuing to walk on. He really didn't want to be around people right now.

Hinata reached out, setting her hand upon his shoulder, trying to get him to stop. "Come on, Sasuke, talk to me. It might help."

He did stop, turning back around to glare at the blue haired girl. "I know you're intentions are good, Hinata, I really do." He started off, trying to keep his anger under control. "But I really don't want to talk about any of this right now. It can't help me."

Sighing, she realized it was going to be much harder than she thought to get the Uchiha to open up, keeping a firm grim on his shoulder so that he couldn't walk away from her. "You'll just keep hurting until you talk about it, Sasuke. Trust me."

"Hinata, I just don't want to talk, okay? Please, leave me alone." He answered, feeling his hands ball into fists, turning away from her once more.

She removed her hand from his shoulder, resorting to a tactic she wasn't sure she had to use. "You're just running away."

He stopped. "What?"

She crossed her arms, watching as the raven slowly turned around, knowing his anger would get the better of him. "You heard me. You're just running away from your problems. You'd rather wallow in depression than try to work through everything and be happy."

"Damn it, Hinata!" He growled. "I said I don't want to talk and I fucking meant it!" Raging, he slammed his fist into the side of a nearby tree, not caring about the pain that came from it.

She did not flinch from the sudden action. She expected it. "Just because you don't want to doesn't mean you don't need to, Sasuke." She answered, keeping her voice calm.

He was anything but calm, arms starting to shake because of the rage running through them. "None of you understand what I'm going through and I don't expect you to! You don't understand how I feel!!!"

If anything, Hinata became softer, a smile coming onto her lips, trying to catch Sasuke's sight as he looked down, closing his eyes just afterward. "Than why don't you tell me how you feel?"

Hinata watched as Sasuke fell on his knees, punching the ground as hard as he could. "It's not fair!!" He snarled, voice cracking ever so slightly. "It's not fucking fair that she was the one who had to leave and not me!! Why was I the one left here?!" Sasuke voice faded, all the words he wanted to say disappearing as he felt a hand upon his fist.

With soft clear eyes, Hinata knelt in front of him, a small smile placed on her face as he looked up to see who had set their hands on his. "The first step to solving a problem is admitting you have one, Sasuke." She said calmly.

He sighed heavily, looking away from her.

"You're depressed," She continued, keeping her eyes on him even though he was looking away form her. "we all know that. We are too, Sasuke. It's hard getting along without a good friend and in your case, a loved one, but,"

That's right. He wasn't the only one upset by her being taken away from him. Naruto had to be just as upset as he was, maybe even more, because at one point, he'd lost Daisuke too. Slowly, he began to bring his sight back to Hinata.

"We're here for you." She smiled, seeing his sight shift closer to her. That meant he was listening and maybe he was starting to understand. Just maybe, he'd even let her help. "We'll help you through this. That's what friends do."

Stunned, Sasuke seemed to find the clear eyes, looking at them. He wasn't sure of what to say to her, if he could say something to her at all.

"Plus," Hinata continued, keeping the smile on her face. So far, all was good. "What would Kirei do if she saw you all upset like this?"

That was something he hadn't thought of. What _**would**_ she think? "She wouldn't be happy." He answered softly, pulling his hand away from hers and looking away from her, diverting his sight to the ground. "She'd be mad."

She nodded, knowing he could see her. "A little bit, yeah. But wouldn't she want you to try to be happy? Or at least, try to get along with everyone else? Maybe even try not to be so depressed?" She asked, knowing this little bit of information would get straight through to the Uchiha. This was the key to keeping him somewhat normal.

When Sasuke thought about it, sitting there with his friend, he realized she was exactly right. Kirei wouldn't want him to be wallowing in depression. She'd want him to try to get along without her, but not forget her. She'd want him to try to be himself instead of a shell of himself. "Yeah," He said after a few moments of silence. "She would."

Hinata let out a silent sigh, standing up with him. "Second step," She said, smiling as he scowled at her playfully. "Talking about that problem and letting your friends help you."

"Yeah, yeah." He answered, following the Hyuuga as she began walking towards the food tables. "How do you know so much about this?" He asked softly, slightly curious. To his knowledge, Hinata never had a problem like his before…So how did she know so much?

"Neji was a little bit of the same way when I started going out with Naruto. He was upset because he thought I'd be spending all my time with Naruto and not him." She explained, hoping the Uchiha would see the similarities.

He nodded in understanding. "I see."

Naruto watched, smiling broadly as Hinata and a little less depressed Sasuke walked up. "So, you okay now, teme? Not going to have a breakdown?" He teased.

Sasuke didn't even answer. He growled.

"Oh, hush, Sasuke." Sakura said as she came up, patting him on the shoulder. "We were just worried about you."

His glared turned to her. Just as he glared, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Be _**nice**_, Sasuke." Hinata commanded, staring down the cold Uchiha glare. "It's just because we care, cause we love you." She added, smiling as she saw a few other people come to the table, all smiling at the raven.

Sasuke saw this as well, looking at each and everyone of them, soft smiles set upon their faces.

Everyone watched as Sasuke smiled for the first time in half a week and opened his mouth to speak.

"I hate you all."

* * *

"Now, don't worry, love." Ramada spoke to his lovely little blonde, standing in front of him. "I can buy you anything you want, so if you want it, you take it, understand?" He asked, knowing she was excited. Shopping always made women excited.

She nodded, a small smile on her face. "Yep."

He smiled back, turning her around to face the street in front of them. "Have fun, love. We'll be right behind you."

Kirei looked back, giving Itachi a much wider smile than she gave Ramada. At least there was someone in this town she could trust. When she looked back at the street, she started walking down it, looking in all the windows at clothes and other knickknacks, knowing she was safe.

She couldn't help but draw similarities between these rather busy streets of this town and the same busy streets of Konoha. Everywhere she looked, even in some of the stores, she recognized clothing, how people bickered about trading items or buying clothing, reminding her of Konoha so much, it made her heart ache.

It was a hard place to forget, after all. It had just become home.

Ramada smiled, seeing his blonde walk off, trying to find things that she would be happy with, knowing Itachi was following alongside him. "Itachi-san?" He asked, using an honorific because the raven was now protecting someone he loved.

Itachi raised an eyebrow, looking over at the leader. "Yes?"

"How long have you known Kirei-chan?" He glanced over, finding a slightly shocked look on the Uchiha's face. At least, that's what it looked like. He wasn't all too sure of the differences in Itachi's face yet.

Itachi had to think for a minute. He'd known Daisuke, Kirei's older brother, for years. Kirei herself, well, he'd only met her about a year ago. "About a year." He decided to answer.

"Hm. Than you might know." He mumbled, looking up to the slightly overcast sky.

Itachi wondered what Ramada could be talking about, chuckling slightly when he saw Kirei kneel to rub the ears of a large black dog that had come up to her.

Ramada chuckled as well when he saw her, shaking his head slightly. "I was hoping that you might know a little bit upon her past." He informed, looking over at the Uchiha. "I know that she's not had a good past, but I was hoping that since you knew her, you might know something."

Itachi did know some things. The one thing that made him falter was that he thought he shouldn't be the one telling Ramada. Kirei should; it was her past after all. "I know some things." He replied. "But I don't think I should be the one to tell you."

Ramada gave him a nod, respecting the loyalty he had to Kirei. It just furthered Ramada's happiness with choosing Itachi as her bodyguard. "I understand how you feel, Itachi-san, I truly do. You are loyal to Kirei-chan and that is great, but the reason I ask is because I don't want to burden her with bringing back dreadful memories."

Onyx eyes watched the blonde as she moved into a store, pulling out a few pairs of jeans, inspecting them. He understood what Ramada meant, not wanting to dredge through memories such as these. He knew how hard it was, remembering when he and Sasuke had to go through therapy and even then, it was hard for Sasuke to tell.

With Itachi's silence, Ramada continued. "Understand this as well, Itachi,"

The raven noticed the deep warning tone of the Leader's voice, as well as the fact that he didn't use an honorific like he had before. Ramada was serious as serious could be.

Ramada kept his sight on the Uchiha beside him. "No matter how important you may be to Kirei-chan, if I find that you are double crossing me in anyway,"

Itachi silently watched, keeping his face as stoic as it could be. He was double crossing Ramada, after all. The Leader just couldn't know that.

"You _**will**_ be killed." He spoke with such softness, such harshness, that he couldn't not be listened to. "I can always find someone else to replace you."

Itachi nodded, understanding to the full extent. "The most I know," He began, figuring it was a good idea to tell him now, before Ramada began to suspect anything. "Is that she had an older brother, Daisuke, who raised her. They were deeply connected…but he died suddenly. After that, she traveled for about a year and then came to Konoha. From there, she's lived in Konoha and now here." Itachi stated, glancing over a few times to see the reactions on Ramada's face.

"I see." He started after a few moments' silence. "Do you know how he died?"

Itachi knew, but felt it wasn't his place to say. "I do not."

Sighing, the shaggy raven looked at the ground. "Thank you for your compliance." He nodded to the raven beside him.

"Of course." Itachi replied, seeing the excited look on Kirei's face when she darted into a CD store, spying a CD that was very familiar to her.

Ramada followed, coming up behind her and leaning over the blonde's shoulder to see what she had in her hands. "Beauty and the Beast?" He asked, looking at the oddly designed cover. He'd never seen people portrayed this way before.

She smiled, remembering how many times she'd seen the movie, who she always watched it with and even lived part of the movie with that same person. "Can I get it?" She asked, blue eyes looking up to the Leader.

He couldn't resist those blue eyes and that smile, nodding. "Of course, love."

Itachi remained by the door of the store, keeping a keen eye on Kirei. He knew Ramada's intentions toward Kirei, but vowed to himself that he would not get involved until it became absolutely necessary. Sasuke and Kirei belonged to each other, everyone and even they themselves knew it.

He wouldn't let anything come between that, even if it meant risking his own life.

* * *

"Why don't you wait right here," Itachi began, bags laced around both his arms, carrying only some of the things Ramada had bought for Kirei.

Ramada held the other half, already heading to her room to drop the items off. Plus, he had to get Kirei and Itachi's first mission lined up.

While they were out, he had received an important message from an ally near the Land of Waves, saying that a parcel he had ordered just came in. He believed it would be an easy enough mission, traveling about a day away to get a package; there was no threat to either Kirei or Itachi and the mission shouldn't take them too long to complete.

"I'll go put this stuff in the room and you can get something to eat?" Itachi finished, watching as Kirei carried only one bag, standing near the doorway of the Akatsuki Kitchen.

At his question, she looked at him. "But…aren't you supposed to stay with me?" She asked, eyebrows ruffling in confusion.

He nodded. "Yes, but there's no one here other than you, me and Ramada. I'll only be a hallway away. I can hear you if something happens." He assured, trying his best to crouch down to catch her sight and yet stay balanced with all the bags on his arms.

After a moment of thought, she placed a small smile on her face, looking up to him so he didn't have to crouch and nodding. "Okay, Ita-san. I'll get something to eat before we leave." She giggled, hearing her stomach growl.

He sighed. Why didn't he know she'd be hungry? "Alright." Turning, he headed out of the kitchen and down the hallway that led to their room. He wasn't sure why, but as he entered their room, he felt anxious about their mission.

Of course, Itachi had had much, much harder missions, but on those missions, another's life didn't lie in his hands. Especially that of Kirei. He couldn't help but feel that something was off about the mission, and God knows, Itachi wouldn't forgive himself if something fatal happened to Kirei.

Speaking of the blonde, she was still in the kitchen, trying to figure out what to eat. She couldn't and didn't want to eat something heavy, knowing she'd be carried by Itachi since she couldn't tree hop and therefore, might fall asleep. But she couldn't eat something light because then she might get hungry halfway there.

She sighed, leaning against the wood table in the corner of the kitchen, trying to think.

"Hello there, Kirei-chan."

Kirei jumped, almost shrieking at the sound of someone's voice behind her. She turned to find the platinum blonde smiling back at her from the other side of the table. "Who are you?" She asked hesitantly, trying to keep the table between them. It wouldn't do much, seeing as how this was an S-Class Ninja, but it made her feel better to have it between them.

"It's okay," The female spoke, keeping her voice calm, trying to reassure the younger girl. "I won't hurt you. My name's Daidera (Day-dare-ah)."

Keeping her guard up, the golden blonde arched an eyebrow at her. Even though her smile and voice were reassuring, Kirei didn't know whether to trust this "Daidera". "How can I trust you?" She asked, moving aside to keep the table between them as blonde across from her tried to come closer.

"Good question," Daidera nodded; the girl was a little smarter than she thought. "You can't, really." At the confused look Kirei gave her, she quickly continued. "What I mean is that, you can't really trust me as of yet. I haven't explained myself to you."

"…" Kirei kept her distance, seeing the hallway that led to her room out of the corner of her eye, sighing slightly. At least if she needed to run, Itachi wasn't too far. When she brought her sight back to the hawk-like female, she was a little surprised to see the female still across the table.

"You see, Kirei-chan," Daidera continued, trying to convince the Leader's love. "I'm Leader's right hand woman. I run the base when he's away on a mission."

"And that's supposed to reassure me, how? I was already attacked by a member once." Kirei retorted, keeping her sight focused upon the female.

"Well, I've been with Leader for years now, and he's very important to me. Almost like an older brother." Daidera knew that if anyone, Kirei could understand this. She knew little about the girl, but the one thing she knew for sure was that she once had an older brother, so maybe that would help to reassure the golden blonde.

She tried her best to keep a straight face, not trying to give any hint of understanding. Just because Kirei once had an older brother and that Daidera saw Ramada as a brother didn't mean that she would magically understand the platinum blonde, let alone become friends with her. "…"

Even with her silence, Daidera continued. "I know it may not seem reassuring to you, but trust me when I say that I wish you no harm. Although I believe Ramada should've taken your cousin, he wanted you. I fully supported him because he's in love with you. He wouldn't let anything happen to you and if he did…well, he wouldn't be happy. And the only thing I want to see his my "big brother" happy. That's why I want to be your friend. I don't want something to happen to you."

Kirei knew where she was going with this. "I get where you're going, but still, how can that – "

"What's going on here?"

Kirei sighed the largest, quietest sigh she could've sighed, feeling a hand slip onto her shoulder, gripping somewhat tight. She looked back to the raven, seeing the Sharingan activated, his glare placed upon Daidera.

"Kirei," He began, not letting his sight waver from the Akatsuki member. "Why don't you go back to the room and put away some clothes?"

"Okay." She said softly, slipping behind him to get to the hallway, taking glances back to see if Itachi had moved at all.

He didn't move, keeping his glare straight on the female who had confronted Kirei.

She put her hands up in her own defense, lowering her head slightly. "I didn't mean to scare her."

"Who are you?" Itachi asked, not caring if she hadn't meant to scare Kirei. For all he knew, she was just trying to find out if he was a spy for Konoha through Kirei.

She complied, wondering if Itachi ever loosened up. He seemed so uptight for a 20 something. "My name is Daidera and as I said to Kirei-chan, I am Ramada's right hand woman."

Itachi let his eyes return to black, his glare still fixed upon her. If she had given up information such as that to him, she mustn't of been that much of a threat.

"And, if you'd like, I can give you information about the other members…" She smiled, pulling out a chair and sitting in it, offering the one across from her to him. "Maybe help protect Kirei-chan a little better?"

Itachi arched an eyebrow and took the chair, watching as the blonde's smile broadened.

"Well first," She started off, taking his sitting at the table as a "yes". "I'll help you out if you ever need it. I'd truly like to be friends with Kirei-chan."

The raven remained stark still, not sure whether to believe her or not.

Despite this, she continued, unfazed by the silence and glare. "The first person I'd look out for is Dhian (Die-an). He's the one who originally attacked Kirei-chan, but I don't think he'll go for round two. He's got blue hair and orange eyes."

Itachi nodded, finally showing some form of something other than hate.

Trying to amuse herself as she ran through this most boring information, she grabbed a few napkins from the napkin holder and taking a few into her hand. "From there, the twins are next…I'm not sure if you'll have to worry too much about them, they're very quiet. Zu (Zoo) is the one with deep brown colored hair, a deep blue right eye and a violet left eye. Set (Seh) is the one with honey brown hair and the same eyes, although they're on opposite sides. They're very…odd." She cupped her hand, spreading out her fingers as a small blue glow came from her wrist and extended to her fingertips, making the paper rise and disintegrate.

Itachi watched with curious eyes, able to see the flame that destroyed the napkin. He began to notice how the names of these members sounded very familiar, even though he knew they weren't. Or were they?

"The next member I'd worry about is Sakime; white hair, purple eyes. He's amazing at acting…so he might try to fake you out about being friends with her or being trustworthy." Again, she set another napkin aflame, purple eyes watching with amusement. "The redhead, Kuzaku and his partner, the regular brown haired guy, Sosari, they're pretty neutral. They won't try anything, they might actually help you out if you ask."

Itachi's wonder about the names began to increase, recognizing almost every name. They sounded familiar, yet not. "Are the names –"

She nodded. "I was wondering when you were going to notice. Of course, they're not our real names, just code names that we use to keep each other straight. Since we're designed off of the Original Akatsuki, from which you are from, Ramada wanted to honor you guys and scramble the names. That way we aren't copying, but flattering you men." She explained.

"I see." He answered softly.

"Anyway," She began with a sigh, setting another napkin on fire, although the blue spark was no longer blue. It was a strange shade of purplish red. "The last one…well," She was a little hesitant to speak, trying to find the right words to say. "He's…creepy." She made eye contact with him, her smile fading, purplish red flame pulsing in her hand. "He wears a hood all the time, hiding his face. He doesn't come out during the day, just at night…never speaks…He even freaks Ramada out. His codename's Nokan, just so you know."

Itachi nodded, placing remembrances in his mind for each member and making sure he knew who was who. It wouldn't take him long, he just wanted to be sure. "Thank you for your help." He said softly, getting up. It was almost time for them to be heading out if they wanted to get back before dawn. "I appreciate it."

She smiled softly, getting up as well. "I can see how much she means to you as well, that's why I offered." It wasn't hard to notice the connection between the two, seeing as how Kirei would always act a little different around Itachi than anyone else. "Good luck with your mission." She added as he bowed his head to her, heading back down the hall and to their room.

* * *

"Done!" Kirei cried, sitting at the new desk in her and Itachi's room, setting her pen down and leaning back into the chair.

Since the meeting with Daidera, after Kirei had been sent to their room, she had decided to sit down and write her reply letters to her cousin and her love, saving her cousin's for last because today was a very special day for him.

Today was October, 10th. Today was Naruto's 19th Birthday.

Although she was depressed that she couldn't be with him to celebrate and the fact that the letter wouldn't get to him until about a week later, it made her feel a little bit better, knowing she'd written it on his birthday.

"I'm back." Itachi said as he entered the room, having just spoken to Daidera just moments ago. He had also caught her scribbling down on the paper, smiling as he realized she'd been writing her letters. She'd been much faster than either boy had.

She nodded, turning around in her chair, sealing the letters in individual envelopes. She didn't want Sasuke to get Naruto's letter and vice versa. That'd be a little awkward. "Yep. What did Daidera want?" She asked as he sat on the bed farther away from the door, his bed.

He sighed. "She just gave me information on the other members." He told her, not wanting to give her too much info. She didn't need to worry about things like that. "I don't think we have to worry about her."

Kirei smiled a bit. If Itachi was okay with her, she mustn't've been that bad, maybe even trustworthy. "Alright then." Taking a glance out the only window in the room, Kirei saw the sun halfway through the evening side of the sky. It was probably around 4, if she had to guess. "Should I get my cloak?"

His cloak already on, he stood up. "Yeah, probably. We'll be heading out soon. According to Ramada, we'll be gone all night."

"Night?" Kirei asked, ruffling her eyebrows as she got up, heading for the closet to where her Akatsuki cloak hung. "Why night?"

Itachi watched her. "It's easier to travel at night. It's cooler, darker, you know, to make sure you're not followed." He answered, not needing to know the mission to know why. It was embedded within all ninja to use the cover of night to travel.

"Oh." Well, that made sense. "Alright then." She took her cloak out, taking the elongated jacket and slipping her arms inside it, zippering it up. "I'm ready."

"We just have to report to Ramada that we're leaving, okay?" He asked, letting her walk to the door first, walking behind her. It was safer if he could see her, rather than have her behind him, where yes, he could protect her, but not as well as he could by seeing her.

She looked back at him, smiling her usual smile. "Okay, Ita-san." If ever before had she been asked to complete a mission, she would've been scared. She never in her life thought she'd be on a mission, let alone completing one. But there was a very important factor with this mission. First off, it was an easy mission, the only problem being the distance, but also because Itachi was with her.

She knew that no matter what happened, he would be there to protect her and make sure she was okay.

When she thought about it, he reminded her of her older brother. That thought was comforting, very, very comforting.

Setting a hand upon her head, Itachi tried to catch her sight, noticing how the blonde had drifted off into thought, not even coming into the office to bid Ramada goodbye. "Ready?"

She did not jump like she would with nearly anyone else and looked up, a smile on her face. "Yep."

He returned the smile. "Good."

* * *

Something was off.

Way off.

"Why are we stopping?" Kirei asked as Itachi's feet hit the ground silently. Because she couldn't tree-hop, the raven had decided to carry Kirei to make it easier on both of them. But when they began slowing down, and eventually stopping, Kirei's mind began to wonder and fear.

Before he spoke, Itachi put her back on her own feet, taking the parcel that she held and throwing it into the bushes beside him.

This worried her even more. "Ita-san?" She asked, watching him with worried, large blue eyes.

He set his hands on her shoulders, crouching slightly to catch her eyesight. "Don't be scared, okay?"

She nodded, although his words did nothing to calm her.

"I want you to run away from here." He said quietly, Sharingan red eyes flashing left and right, almost as if they were looking for something.

She ruffled her eyebrows in confusion, staring at him in disbelief. "But, Ita-san – "

He sighed, able to feel the chakra of the two people who had followed them ever since they got the package get closer and closer to them. "Listen to me, Kirei. There's someone chasing us right now. I'll deal with them, but I want you to run as far away as you can so they don't come after you, okay?" He asked, trying to make his point clear, yet trying to keep the details simple as not to frighten her even more.

She gulped.

"Don't worry; I can track you with my Sharingan. Just find a safe place to hide and stay there until I come looking for you."

"What if – "

"I'll call out your brother's name first. Then my nickname, okay? Everything will be fine; I just want you to run." He cut her off, already knowing what she was going to say.

Still a bit scared, she nodded, understanding the Uchiha's point. "Okay, Ita-san."

"Go." His hands slipped from her shoulders as he stepped out in front of her, facing the two men who would be appearing very soon.

She lingered for only a moment, eyes staring softly at him before turning and running for her safety.

Just as Kirei's steps were drowned out by the wind and rustling leaves, red eyes saw two ninja land before him, both watching him with glares. Thankfully, it seemed that they hadn't seen Kirei.

"So you waited for us." The male on the right mumbled, twisting his head as he cracked his neck.

The female on the left smiled softly at the Uchiha, knowing the Sharingan and its powers. "Where's your little friend? The blonde girl?"

Itachi's face remained stoic, although he was a little shocked they knew about her. He'd cast a Genjutsu so they wouldn't see her.

She smiled even more, taking his silence as a "no answer." "Oh, trust me, sweetie. I know the Sharingan better than you think. I dispelled the Genjutsu as soon as you cast it."

Itachi's worry grew as he felt another chakra – probably another member – jump off in the very direction Kirei ran. "If you know the Sharingan, you should know what happens next."

* * *

Kirei's legs were killing her. They were itchy and in pain from running away. Even her heart ached, trying to pump precious blood to keep her muscles oxygenated so that she could keep running.

She didn't know how far she'd gone or where she was. All she knew was that she had to keep running, had to find a spot where she could hide and wait for Itachi to come and find her.

Through her frantic searching, Kirei hadn't seen the tree root coming up near her feet and as she went to pick up her foot, it caught the root, tripping her up. She hit the hard ground with a thud, her right shoulder taking the brunt of the fall.

Breathing heavily, she sat up, using her left hand as support since her right shoulder was throbbing with pain from landing on it. Looking around, it was oddly silent. There were no birds singing, no crickets chirping, not even the wind was blowing.

It was way too silent for Kirei to like.

"Well, hello there." The third member of the team following them said, appearing on the root Kirei had originally tripped on.

Nearly shrieking, the blonde tried her hardest not to jump, although the attempt was futile. She had jumped at the sudden voice, scaring her out of her wits. What scared her more was knowing that Itachi was already held up. He couldn't save her now.

As he stepped off the root, he examined this small creature before him. Why did she seem oddly familiar? "Oh…" He began recognizing the slightly golden blonde hair, the deep blue eyes. "You're related to the Yondaime, _**aren't**_ you?"

"N-no, I'm not." She stuttered, shaking her head slightly while inching backwards, away from the man that advanced toward her.

A smirk formed on his face. "You stuttered." When her eyes widened, he knew that this was the girl related to the Yondaime, the Hokage of Konoha. Lucky him. "You know," He began, still coming closer, his smirk becoming more and more twisted. "There's a large reward for you in the Land of Waves…or at least…one of the Namikaze/Uzumaki line…"

Still very scared, Kirei narrowed her eyes at the man, scowling. She'd already left her home; she wasn't going any further. "I'd rather die than go _**anywhere**_ with you."

He raised an eyebrow, smirk never fading. "Well, the flyer did say "Dead or alive"…"

She scrambled to get up, to get on her feet to run away, full knowing what the man was going to do to her. If she didn't run, she would die.

He didn't let her go far, teleporting over and grabbing her ankle, pulling her back to him while flipping her over onto her back.

As she sat up to try to fight him off, he grabbed her by the neck and shoved her back to the ground as he sat on top her to keep her still, gripping his hand tightly around her small neck.

Legs kicking underneath him furiously, Kirei's hands gripped and dug into his, trying to pry his hand off her neck so that she could breath again, eyes closed from the throbbing pain the back of her head released.

He smiled, taking in every detail of her distorted face, loving how he could feel her very life slipping from her body as he increased the pressure upon her neck slowly.

Within a few seconds her legs slowed their kicking, finally stopping and coming to rest limply upon the ground. Her hands found no more strength, their grip loosening upon the hand that strangled her, sliding off his hand and falling to the ground.

Kirei could feel her life slipping away with every second past. She tried to whimper, tried to breath, but it was too hard. Her body wouldn't react, too weak without oxygen, her mind becoming black as one thought whizzed by her mind; she couldn't die here. Not when Sasuke was waiting for her to come home.

The ninja watched in joy as the pain in the Namikaze's face began to fade, replaced with a much more suiting look. The look of death; her eyes opening slightly, blue color drained from her eyes, her mouth opening and emitting a pathetic whimper as her head began tilting to the side.

Just as her thoughts became black, her senses numb, she felt the pressure on her neck release and gasped loudly, allowing oxygen to flood her lungs. She tried picking up her head to see what had happened, hearing an odd cracking sound close to her, but gave up. She was too dizzy and weak to start moving.

"It's okay, I'm here now." Itachi said breathlessly, coming over to the blonde he'd sworn to protect, caressing her cheek to let her know he was there. He'd been scared to death and back when he saw her not struggling against the man strangling her. At least he was dead now.

She breathed heavily, moving her head to see a blurry Itachi hovering over her. "…sa…" She tried to say, her voice making no more than a barely audible "s" sound.

He helped her sit upright, seeing as how her limbs and senses were just coming back to her, bringing up one of his own legs for her to rest on as he sat beside her. Even in the dark, he could see the bruises forming on her neck.

She gulped, a tingling and prickling feeling traveling through her whole body, blood rushing to every muscle to give them the precious oxygen they needed. Still breathing heavily, eyes low but becoming clearer, she looked to her left, to Itachi. "…Sasu…Sasuke…" She whispered, her voice starting to come back to her.

He saw those eyes. Those half-lidded, barely blue eyes, pleading with him. Pleading to let her talk to her beloved, to hear his voice.

Sighing, he used his Sharingan, looking around the area around them. They were about 50 miles from base and there was no one around them. "Okay, but just this _**once**_." He said, reaching into his pants pocket, pulling out the cell phone Ramada didn't know about. "And I know it's hard, but make it quick, okay?"

She nodded as much as she could, taking the phone from his hand, seeing the number already dialed. Pressing it to her ear, she waited for her beloved to answer, hoping to God he would. She needed to hear his voice.

Sitting on the couch in the living room of the Hokage Mansion with all of his friends around him, celebrating Naruto's 19th birthday, Sasuke's eyebrows ruffled as the phone in his pocket began vibrating.

All of his friends were here, so who was calling him?

Pulling it out of his pocket frantically, he realized only one person could be calling him. "Itachi?" He asked somewhat frantically, his phone flipped open and pressed against his ear.

Still breathing heavily, Kirei smiled slightly at her love's voice, closing her eyes and thanking God, her body relaxing.

Sasuke could hear the breathing and repeated his question. "Ita – "

"…Sasuke." Kirei cried, trying to get her breathing under control as her shaky hand held the phone to her ear.

"Princess?!" Sasuke exclaimed, absolutely shocked. His mind went nearly blank, staring wide-eyed at the floor.

Everyone in the living room of the Hokage Mansion went completely silent at the Uchiha's sudden outburst. The music was turned off, the tv muted. They all stared at Sasuke, full knowing that when he said "Princess", he was talking about Kirei.

Kirei sighed, feeling tears come into her eyes at the sound of his voice, let alone him saying her nickname.

All previous thoughts left Sasuke's mind, his eyes fixed onto the floor, forgetting everything around him. There were no eyes watching him curiously, no party, nothing. It was just his love on the other side of the phone. "Kirei, what's going on?" He asked in a soft voice, leaning forward and setting his elbows on his knees.

He knew something had to be up or else she wouldn't be breathing as hard as she was, not even mentioning the fact that she had somehow convinced Itachi to let her call him.

Kirei's somewhat oxygen deprived mind blanked, her eyes becoming wide. She couldn't tell him that she'd just come within inches of her very own life. "It's raining." She spit out, not knowing what else to tell him. It felt horrible to lie to him, but in this instance, it was probably for his own good. He would freak out if he'd known she'd almost died.

He sighed, a small smirk coming onto his face. He should've known it was the rain. "It's okay, Kirei. Are you underneath something or in a cave?"

She smiled slightly, hearing his words. "We're on a mission," She began softly, her voice still cracking here and there. "And we're under a tree. A big one." She shifted slightly, the tingling in her legs starting to go away.

Shaking his head slightly, he couldn't help but love hearing her childlike voice. It'd been so long since he'd heard it, he almost forgot how it sounded. "You'll be okay, Kirei."

Sitting there, hundreds of miles away from him and yet talking to him, Kirei didn't know what else to say to him. She had been so scared, terrified that she might loose her life before seeing him again…but now that she was talking to him, she didn't know what to say.

He was also silent, sighing softly as he stared into space, not noticing any of the eyes that watched him intently.

"I miss you." Kirei whispered, choking back a sob as a couple tears slipped down her cheeks slowly, her heart aching in her chest.

Sasuke's free hand found it's way to his mouth, covering his lips and yet holding his head up for him. "Please don't cry." He begged softly, able to hear her sobs through the phone. "I can't be there to hold you and dry your tears for you."

A couple girls in the room awed silently at his words.

Kirei let out a loud sob, not able to hold her tears back any longer, lowering her head just a little bit. "I miss you so much…"

He nodded, feeling his own eyes glaze over just a bit. If she kept this up, he might start crying too. "I miss you too…"

Itachi watched her with soft eyes, wanting her to keep the call short and yet, unable to tell her so. It would be cruel to tell her to hang up now.

Her cries and sobs softened slightly as she pulled her knees closer, setting her head on them, heart aching every time she heard his voice. It calmed and comforted her, but it was the fact that he was so close and yet so far from her that hurt her heart.

He didn't want to say it, but he had to. "You should probably try to get some rest, Princess." He said softly, not wanting to hang up or even _**suggest**_ getting off the phone.

"I can sleep on Ita-san." She replied, not wanting to go. "I want to – "

"I love you." Sasuke cut her off, hoping that those three little words would help her in some way. It was hard, being so many miles away from her and yet even on the phone, there was nothing he could do to help her.

She smiled, another sob escaping her mouth. "I love you, too." She sighed, knowing he wanted her to go. Going meant she was coming back soon.

"Don't forget that I'm coming for you." He told her with a smile, trying to cheer her up in the least bit, unaware of the awes the girls gave him. Even Naruto had to admit, watching him with steady blue eyes, a soft smile on his face, that Sasuke was really sweet.

She giggled, calming down a little bit, her breathing coming back under control. "I won't, Prince. I'll wait for you." She answered, smiling as she dried her eyes.

He smiled as well, happy to hear her giggle. It was a sound for sore ears. "Good night, Princess."

She sighed, her heart telling her not to say it. "Good night, Prince." Hesitantly, she clipped the phone shut, holding it in her hand for a few moments before handing it back to Itachi.

After taking his phone back, he set his hand upon the blonde's back, rubbing back and forth to soothe her. "It's okay, Kirei. It'll be okay." He told her softly, seeing her wrap her arms around her legs, crying into her knees.

Sasuke waited until Kirei hung up to clip his own phone shut, setting it on the table beside him. With a heavy sigh, he stood up and walked out of the living room, continuing out of the Hokage Mansion and to the dark streets of Konoha. He looked up to the night sky, to the half moon that shone, wondering if Kirei was looking at it too.

Everyone in the party had heard the whole conversation, had seen him get up and leave the mansion. Some exchanged worried glances, knowing he was probably upset.

Already standing, a worried Sakura looked to her friends. "I'll go – "

"No," Naruto began, setting a hand on her shoulder, stopping her from leaving. "He needs some time alone right now." He said in a soft voice, looking to all of them. At all the sad faces, he smiled a large grin. "And what are you moping about?! We've got a birthday to celebrate!!!" He smiled, seeing a few people smile and shake their heads.

The music and tv were turned back on, smiles and laughs were shared, presents were opened and a toast was given to Kirei and Itachi – for the safety and swift return. The party came back to life as quick as it had lost it.

Somewhere miles away in the wilderness, a slightly teary blonde felt something tugging at her heart, something telling her to look up. When she did, she found the night sky glittering back at her, the half moon shining it's light on her face. She smiled, feeling that somewhere, Sasuke was looking up too.


	20. Plan

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD I also do not own the song used here. It's called, "From Where You Are" by Lifehouse, which was written for an Alstate commercial on teen driving. If you'd like I can send you a link. :D Just PM me.

_Notes: _So, if you need to know only one thing about me, it's this; I am a major procrastinator (like everyone else xD). I told myself that I'd update on Monday. Well, Monday came...and went. Tuesday! I told myself. Yeah, Tuesday went by as well. xD Nothing more or less exciting than usual happened, other than the fact that I almost fainted in gym on Tuesday. But don't worry, it's nothing serious (let's hope). I have the rest of The Actors written, and I'm currently working on the plot, so please, let me know what you think's gonna happen in this one and the next. And just because I'm me, if you guess right, I'll say so. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!!

* * *

_Chapter 20 – Plan_

* * *

"You may come in now, Itachi-san." Ramada beckoned, calling the waiting Raven into his office.

Hearing the voice beyond the wood door, Itachi entered quietly. Seeing the elder black haired man at his desk with many papers spread out in front of him, the Uchiha wondered if Ramada had formulated a plan, something to take over the world just like the Akatsuki did in the show.

"Please, have a seat." He motioned to either one of the two chairs placed in front of the desk. "I suspect Kirei-chan is asleep?" He asked, picking up papers and skimming over them as he heard Itachi sit in one of the chairs.

The raven nodded. "For the most part." He answered. "It's been hard trying to adjust to a new home, as you can understand." Itachi knew that his first few days wouldn't be easy, trying to sleep in a place he was deathly unsure of, but didn't think it would be _**this**_ hard.

"I can imagine." Ramada answered, setting down the papers and picking up some from a different stack. "You've been here for about…3 months now, correct?"

Itachi thought. He'd arrived right after Kirei did and she was taken in late August…early September…and now it was mid-November… "Yes, about 3 months, give or take a week." He replied.

Sighing, Ramada set down everything he had in his hands, coming to look the Uchiha straight in the eyes. "For those three months, Itachi-san, I've been evaluating your work. I believe that you are trustworthy, whether it be to me or Kirei-chan. I can rely on you to do certain things I cannot with others."

He had a feeling that Ramada did have a plan and maybe, with enough luck, Itachi would find out what that plan was.

"That is why I've called you here tonight. Daidera and I have formulated a plan – a plan to attack and take over Konoha – and we have decided to ask your opinion of it, since you were part of the original Akatsuki that we hold in high regard." He explained, watching over the Uchiha's face to find any surprise or shock within it.

His face completely stoic, Itachi's heartbeat raced slightly. Attacking **_Konoha_**? His home? Well, this would be a good bit of news for the nerve wracked Yondaime. "Of course. Isn't that why you asked me to join in the first place?" He asked, referring to the very first time Ramada asked him to join.

A smile took the Leaders face. "Excellent." Choosing Itachi to join was definitely the best choice. "Since the beginning of the summer, I've had the three-man team track and keep an eye upon what we have confirmed as the 7 Tailed Jinchūriki, just in case taking the Kyuubi did not pan out."

Itachi didn't let his face change, although he was absolutely shocked. The Jinchūriki – especially one as powerful as the 7 Tailed – were nothing to mess with. They were power beyond containing, beyond control. "Continue." He said monotonously, wondering how the Yondaime was going to take this news.

Ramada smiled, noticing how well Itachi was taking the news. It seemed to be that the plan would go along easily. "Sometime after the New Year, I will instruct all teams, including myself and yourself to plan an attack and capture the Jinchūriki. I will make sure Kirei stays safe within the confines of her room and bring the beast here for extraction. After that, we shall harness it's power and have it attack Konoha, until it falls. Then we shall take it over and, from there, take over the rest of the world." He finished, waiting expectantly for the Uchiha's approval or disapproval.

The plan would work.

If they lived in a fantasy land, of course. Itachi knew, that no matter what precautions they took to ensure their saftey, the plan would fail. The Biju's were placed into hosts to keep them sane, to protect the rest of the world. They were not to be messed with.

But in this instance, could Itachi really say that the plan was bad? He couldn't think like himself, the Leaf-Nin sworn to protect Konoha. He had to think like Uchiha Itachi of Akatsuki, the ex Leaf-Nin who helped Madara collect the Biju. "It's a good plan." Itachi said, realizing he couldn't refuse the plan. If he did, Ramada might suspect Itachi wasn't a Missing Nin. "I think Madara would be happy with it."

Ramada smiled. It was the right answer, seeing as how the plan was real, but the question was a trap. If he had said it wasn't a good plan, Ramada would've wondered if Itachi was double crossing him. The answer of a good plan just proved that the Uchiha wasn't. "I'm glad you think so. As I've stated, the plan will begin early next year, in which preparing to attack and hold a Biju here will be started very soon. I ask you not to tell anyone, not even Kirei-chan of this plan."

Itachi nodded. "Yes, Leader." Even without the leader asking, if he had told Kirei of the plan, she would lose her mind, knowing that within Konoha was her family and her life. Without Konoha, she had no reason to live. "Is there anything I can do for you now?"

"No," Ramada said after a moment of thought. "Although, may I ask you to have Kirei-chan ready for a date tomorrow? I don't plan to take her far, but I would like to see her and only her. You will have the day off." He asked, tilting his head.

The Uchiha felt a strange feeling in his heart. He didn't like the idea of Kirei and Ramada alone together. Although…it did give Itachi the chance to speak with the Yondaime without Ramada knowing. "I will be glad to." He answered. "Is there a certain time you'd like her?" He asked, trying to hide the grit in his voice. He didn't want to give her up to this man, knowing that she belonged to Sasuke, but had to. If they didn't, something might happen to either one or even both of them.

"Early afternoon, 3 at the latest." He replied, a large smile on his face. What a good boy Itachi was. "That is all I have for you, you are dismissed."

Getting up, the raven bowed, exiting the room as quickly as he could. Entering his and Kirei's room only feet away, he smiled slightly, seeing the blonde **_actually_** asleep. She never did get much sleep at all anymore, always tossing and turning or waking up in the middle of the night. Sometimes, he'd even find her just laying there, staring out the window.

He walked over, kneeling by her bedside, wondering if he should wake her up. She should know about the date she'd be going on, but was it really worth it? Was telling her she had a date really worth waking her out of a deep sleep?

He sighed silently, shaking his head at her while running a hand through her bangs, pulling them out of her face. "It's not worth it." He whispered, retracting his hand and watching her for only a moment. A smile came to his lips when he saw the Uchiha necklace she wore around her neck, remembering that once, it belonged to his mother and then to Sasuke.

Going to his own bed, Itachi knew that he was right.

Kirei and Sasuke really did belong to each other.

* * *

With bright blue eyes, Kirei stood in the middle of their room, Itachi's cloak set upon her shoulders, her hands holding the edges of it so that it wouldn't slip off. She watched as Itachi ran around the room, gathering items into a small bag. "You're not going with us?" She asked him, slightly confused.

He sighed. He'd just told her about her "date" with Ramada and also told her of the detail that he would not be traveling with them. "No, I'm not, Kirei." He answered her, continuing to get things into the bag, remembering to grab Kirei's response letters and a cd she'd told him to give to Sasuke.

"But why?"

When he looked over at her, he stopped everything he was doing, setting his bag upon the bed. He walked over to the blonde with a small smile, taking her by the shoulders gently and leading her to her bed, making her sit upon it while he sat opposite of her on his own bed. "Because," He began, keeping eye contact with her, seeing her eyes large and childlike. "I know you'll be safe with him."

"I do too," She replied. "But I want you to be there. I don't want to be alone."

He sighed and looked away from her, a slight smile still on his face. "Kirei," He said softly. "You won't be alone. You'll – "

She shook her head. "I don't know him, Ita-san. I know he likes me…but I can't trust him like I can with you. If you're not around, I'm alone here." She told him, her voice soft and hushed.

He understood her point more than she thought. He knew that in a place such as this, she didn't want to be by herself and in her mind, anytime she wasn't with him, she was alone. He wondered if she felt the same way with Sasuke; if he wasn't around, she was alone. "Look," He started off, keeping eye contact with her more so than before. "I found out something last night that your Uncle _**needs**_ to know, okay? This is the only chance I'll get to get the news to him. Ramada isn't going to take you far, he just wants to talk to you."

She glanced downward in thought. "Is it that bad?" She finally asked after a moment or two of silence.

Itachi nodded. "Yes. It's crucial that he gets this."

"And you can't tell me?" She brought her eyes back up to his, tilting her head ever so slightly.

He shook his head. "No, I don't want to unnerve you. Just know we're going to fix it."

She took a deep breath, his words comforting her for the most part. She was still a bit worried, going to a place she didn't know with someone she didn't know, but if Itachi told her it would be okay, she believed him. "Should I try and keep him wherever we're going for a while?"

He smiled at her, reaching a hand out and tousling her hair. Despite her not knowing what was going on, she still wanted to help. "If you can. I should be back before the two of you get back…so, only if you feel like you have to, okay?"

She nodded, a smile taking her lips. "Okay, Ita-san."

Both looked to the door as a light knock came from it, along with a small, nervous voice from the other side. "Are you ready, Kirei-chan?" Ramada asked, not wanting to go into her room without permission.

She looked back to Itachi before getting up. "Can I keep your cloak?" She smiled a large smile, using her big pleading eyes.

He shook his head, setting a hand on hers. She didn't even need to plead with him. "Of course you can."

Keeping it on her shoulders somehow, she hugged her Ita-san, closing her eyes momentarily. "Don't forget that cd, okay?"

The raven hugged back, unable to take the smile off his face. "Alright, get going or you'll be late."

She squeezed him once more before letting him go and running to the door. She found a very fidgety Ramada on the other side, wearing his mask and Akatsuki cloak as always. "I'm ready."

He nodded, a smile placed on his face although she couldn't see it. "Perfect." He slipped an arm around her waist, teleporting away, taking her to a spot he hadn't been in years.

As soon as they were gone, the door shutting behind them, Itachi wasted no time in grabbing his bag and vanishing, teleporting back to his home.

With the details in his mind, he couldn't waste time.

The fate of Konoha rested with him.

* * *

"…So, where are we?" Kirei asked, looking around the vacant house they had just arrived in.

Furniture was nonexistant, the only light provided by the light of the sun coming through the windows. Cobwebs glittered in the sunlight, showing the flies the spider had caught and saved, although the spider was nowhere to be found.

Ramada dodged a spiderweb that hung from the door frame, leading his blonde through the house by her small, cold hands. "A deserted house, love." He answered, going through what used to be a living room, passing the kitchen and finding his way to the porch in the back of the house.

Kirei did her best to hold back a scoff. Wasn't that obvious? "I can see that," She began, trying to look into the also vacant kitchen, only to be dragged along further. "But I mean, in the Land of Waves? Land of Wind? Land of Fire?"

Coming to the back of the house, Ramada pushed aside the dust ridden curtains, unlocking and wrenching open the large glass door, letting Kirei walk out first. "That shouldn't concern you." He said, stepping out into the cold air just after she had. "All that should matter to you is this porch and that I am here with you."

Just like the inside of the house, the wooden porch was vacant of any chairs or lounges; just a plain wood porch missing some railings, three steps set in the very middle, leading to the backyard of the house.

Despite his answer, she followed his steps to the stairs of the porch, coming to first lean against the rail, looking out into the horizon. "Well, wherever it is," She began with a sigh. "It has a beautiful view." It seemed as if everything around her had turned to gold with the setting sun, turning the sky a marigold, the clouds a light honey color. It really was beautiful.

He smiled, seeing those caring, pristine blue eyes he fell in love with watching the sun and horizon. "I knew you would love it; that's why I brought you here." He said softly, watching as she sighed once more, letting her body drop slowly, sitting on the same step he was sitting upon.

She had sighed because of the beauty, of the peace of the area. It was so silent, so calming, she couldn't find a reason to hate it. Althought, he couldn't have brought her here just to see this sight. There _**had**_ to be another reason for the date.

"There is another reason I brought you here, my lovely Kirei-chan." He knew by that look on her face, the sideways glance that told him she was thinking that. He knew she wasn't stupid. "I've brought you here to speak with you."

She tilted her head, keeping the foot of distance between them, still leaning on the post. "Talk? About what?" Kirei had a looming suspicion in her heart that he wanted to talk about her life, mainly about her brother. In all truths, she wouldn't tell him about Daisuke. He hadn't won that right yet. Just because he'd kidnapped her, protected her and – as far as she believed – loved her, didn't mean that he was allowed to ask her anything he wanted to know.

He noticed that look on her face, in her eyes. The deepness of those blue eyes, the look that told him that she would not tell him anything. At least, about her brother. "Don't fret, love," He began, rn\eaching his hand out, tracing her jawline gently, bringing her to look at him. "I do not wish to know about your brother, at least, not yet." He spoke, keeping his voice soft.

She did not move, nor did she flinch from his touch. Sasuke's hands were much more calloused than his. "Than what are we going to talk about?" She asked, feeling his hand slip from her jaw, watching as it traveled to his purple mask.

Turning away from her, he looked out to the horizon, setting his hand upon the purple mask and taking it off. "Each other." He spoke, setting his mask aside as he tried his hardest to keep from glancing over at her, to see what she thought of how he looked.

The mask now off, Kirei examined every detail of this man's face; black shaggy hair falling over his forehead, gently gracing his deep, soft burgundy eyes, almost glowing a golden burgandy in the sunlight. She was stunned for a few seconds. "You mean…getting to know each other?"

Coming to look at his blonde, he nodded, a smile taking his lips as he found a somewhat astonished look on her face. That was right, she'd never seen his face before, huh? "Exactly, love. I understand it's hard, with you being with Itachi-san all day and myself gone on missions and whatnot, but I thought that while I have the extra time, I'd take it to get to know you and you get to know me."

She half nodded in understanding, mind wondering if he was speaking the truth. Would he really allow her to ask him any question and expect to get a straight forward answer? "Okay, then," She began after a few minutes of silence, trying to find the right question to ask, biting her lip as she thought. "How old are you?"

He smiled at her question, happy that she wasn't hesitant. Getting to know each other – even though he already knew her – was just one of the steps it took to fall in love. "29." He answered, glancing over at her slightly, wanting to see her reaction.

Her eyes widened slightly at him, mouth dropping ever so slightly. 29?! He was nearly as old as Itachi!! Let alone 11 years older than herself!!

Understanding her shock, he nodded. "Yes, I know." He knew that it would take some time to get used to, seeing as how he was much older than her, but also because he didn't look 29.

Kirei stared for only a moment more, shutting her eyes and shaking her head, trying to rid the shock from her system. She would've never guessed he was 29; he didn't sound or act like it. "Um…" She started, trying to think of another question. "What village are you from?"

"The very village you walked upon nearly 3 months ago." He answered, giving no name. He wondered why she asked the question in the first place because in all thruth, it did not pertain to her, but figured it was because of her curiosity.

Twitching her nose slightly, she looked away, fingering Itachi's cloak that still rested upon her shoulders. No straight answer, huh? Well, she guessed she couldn't expect one for every question. "What about family? Did you have any brothers or sisters?" She folded her hands into her lap, looking over at him.

He sighed, looking over at her. Having her arms folded like that, wearing the big cloak, her whole being glowing in the fading light…oh, how cute…"Yes," He answered after a minute, tearing his eyes away from her. "I had a sister, 9 years my junior."

Kirei realized that she was only 2 years younger than his sister.

"But they died many years back in a fire." He added, the tone of his voice neither sad nor upset, just very…calm. Very steady. When he glanced over to his blonde, he found her looking out into the horizon, sighing a heavy sigh.

"I'm very sorry." She said softly, leaning her head back on the post. Why did it seem that everyone had a bad past? "I didn't mean – "

He shook his head, shifting closer to her. "It's alright, love. I said I would answer your questions and I shall whatever you ask."

She nodded slowly, not wanting to look over at him. If he answered her questions, no matter what the question was, would she have to do the same? Would she really be subjected to answer any question he asked her, even if it was about Daisuke?

Sighing in the silence, Kirei really wished Itachi was with them.  
At least then she wouldn't be so uncomfortable.

* * *

Walking into his large, quiet home, Sasuke thanked God that the cameras at the film grounds had broken due to the large amount of snowfall. Despite all his friends being there, he was sick of the place.

Hell, he was sick of **_everything_**.

Sick of all the silence in his house, sick of all the whispers and sideways glances he got whenever he went outside for a walk. He was, and forever would be, the guy who let the Hokage's niece fall into Akatsuki hands; the hands that were plotting to take over the world.

He was sick of trying to be happy. He'd done his absolute best to keep his temper under wraps, trying to find an outlet for it and so far, he'd done a good job. He'd had few outbursts ever since his talk with Hinata, but knew that eventually, his anger and rage would get the better of him.

It was inevitable.

The only thing that held him back, made him stop and calm down were the letters Kirei had written him, the ones Itachi delivered. He'd read and reread them, over and over before he went to bed every night, hoping that in some way, they'd help him get more sleep and keep his anger under control. As of the moment, it was working.

But it wasn't enough. One letter every two weeks wasn't enough to keep him happy, to keep his rage under wraps. He knew that one day, sooner or later, his anger would get the better of him.

Sighing as he walked further into his house, he was about to sit down on his couch to find something on the tv to watch, but stopped in his tracks. Something was out of place.

Looking around, he found that there was something on the coffee table.

Realizing it was another letter from Kirei – yet Itachi was nowhere to be seen – he picked it up, all other thoughts leaving his mind as he went up the stairs and to his room. He never read the letters anywhere else, always keeping them in his nightstand where they'd be safe.

Little did Sasuke know that Itachi was around, crouched on a tree branch near Sasuke's window, waiting for his brother to show up. Sasuke had always read the letters in his room and Itachi was rather curious to see what was on the cd included with the letter, so he watched, waiting for Sasuke.

Coming into his room, the younger Uchiha didn't bother to shut the door, seeing as how there was no one else in the house, going over to his bed and sitting on it as he opened the letter. He didn't fail to notice the cd within it, ruffling his brows at it, but setting it aside, hoping there was an explanation inside.

_"Prince," _He smiled, reading over his new nickname, still not quite used to it yet. _"I still can't believe it's been three months since I left. It's very boring here without you. There're so many things I wish I could tell you, but I can't ever find the words. I try to sit down and think about what I'm going to say…but once I get to the paper, nothing is in my mind. So one day, I went looking for a song and I found one; One that explains what I'm feeling better than I could ever hope to. I put it on the cd inside the envelope, please listen to it. Forever in love, Kirei." _He narrowed his eyes, smile widening just a bit as he saw something else below her closing. _"P.S. Don't be ashamed if you cry, Prince. When I first heard it, I did."_

Cry? When did Sasuke ever **_cry_**?

Shaking his head slightly, he set the letter aside, picking up the envelope and taking out the cd, tilting his head at the four words written on the label. "From Where You Are?" He asked himself, wondering why those words sounded familiar to him.

Getting up, he took the cd to his nightstand, opening the cd dock of his cd player and setting it inside, closing it just afterward and letting it read the disc. "One song? Just one?" He mumbled, seeing the numbers "01" blink back at him in bright red. Did Kirei really send him a cd with only _**one**_ song on it?

With a sigh, he shrugged his shoulders, setting his finger upon the play button, pressing it. Oddly enough, he had a strange feeling that he wasn't going to be happy for long.

_"…one, two, three, four…"_

Hearing the intro, Sasuke stared in slight shock at the cd player, not believing his ears. He'd heard this song before. The melancholy effect the guitar had on him was unmistakable.

_"So far away from where you are,  
__These miles have torn us worlds apart…  
__And I miss you,  
__Yeah, I miss you._

_So far away from where you are,  
__Standing underneath the stars  
__And I wish you  
__Were here."_

Watching from the window, Itachi tilted his head slightly, wondering just what was going through his brother's mind. It had to be something, because immediately the smile from his face vanished and all the muscles in his body seemed to stop moving, his hand resting upon the cd player.

_"I miss the years that were erased,  
__I miss the way the sunshine would light up your face,  
__I miss all the little things,  
__I never thought that they'd mean everything to me.  
__Yeah, I miss you  
__And I wish you,  
__Were here."_

Staring off into space, yet gazing at the cd player, Sasuke tried his best to swallow the lump gathering in his throat, feeling his eyes glaze over slightly. He had to admit that she picked the perfect song to explain her feelings.

What she didn't know was that it explained his too.

_"I feel the beating of your heart,  
__I see the shadows of your face  
__Just know that wherever you are  
__Yeah, I miss you  
__And I wish you  
__Were here._

_I miss the years that were erased,  
__I miss the way the sunshine would light up your face,  
__I miss all the little things.  
__I never thought that they'd mean everything to me.  
__Yeah, I miss you  
__And I wish you  
__Were here."_

Sasuke soon realized that lump in his throat wouldn't go away. The repeating piano keys going back and forth, the guitar behind the words that reminded him of every time he'd been with Kirei – especially how he'd felt her heart beat the day before she left – it all made his eyes close, his swallowing thick, his chest tighten from the threat of tears and his hand move from the play button to the stop button.

His head lowered slightly, black bangs falling over his eyes, shielding them from view while the hand upon the stop button slipped from the cd player, falling back to his side.

He wouldn't **_dare_** hit that button.

_"So far away from where you are  
__These miles have torn us worlds apart,  
__And I miss you  
__Yeah, I miss you.  
__And I wish you  
__Were here."_

Closing his eyes, Itachi turned his back, unable to watch further as his brother fell to his knees, breaking down into tears.

After all, the fate of Konoha, the people of Konoha, and Kirei and Sasuke's relationship rested on his shoulders.

* * *

Watching Ramada with curious blue eyes, Kirei wasn't too uncomfortable anymore. All of his questions for her had all been general. There were no questions about her brother or even her relationship with Sasuke. They had all been about what she liked and disliked, mainly.

But as she watched him further, she ruffled her brows, seeing his hands shaking slightly, eyes staring out at nothing. She immediately noticed the change in the air around him, telling her something was off.

He brought his hands up to view, looking at them and around the area like he was lost. When he saw the blonde next to him, his brows ruffled in confusion. "…I-I'm sorry," He began, voice very soft, very different. The Ramada Kirei knew had a much deeper, much more commanding voice. "Do I know you?"

Blinking, Kirei looked back at him in shock. "I'm Kirei…" She answered, his shocked face not changing. "The girl you kidnapped, remember?"

His burgandy eyes widened at her, shocked at her words. "What? I kidnapped you?! Oh, god, I'm so sorry!!" He exclaimed, watching the blonde next to him. Why did she seem so calm and yet surprised? "…You said your name was Kirei?"

She nodded, wondering what was going on. Was this even Ramada? "Yes…Namikaze Kirei."

His eyes went even wider, mouth dropping open. "Oh, god!" He turned away from her, burying his face in his hands. "Kidnapping the Hokage's neice!" He yelled into his hands. "I'll never be Mizukage now!!"

"You know my uncle?!" Kirei cried in surprise, reaching over and latching her hands onto his arm, trying to get him to look at her. "Please, what's going on?!"

He shook his head, pulling away from her. He couldn't face the niece of Namikaze Minato, the Hokage of Konoha. Not after he "kidnapped" her, even though he didn't remember it.

"It's alright, Kirei-chan. You needn't be scared."

Looking to her left, Kirei found Daidera, Ramada's right hand woman standing on the porch, looking at what was Ramada. As she walked toward him, reaching her hand into her pocket, Kirei released his arm, backing away. Just because Daidera had told Itachi information about the rest of the memebers and wanted to be her friend didn't mean she trusted her yet.

"Sweetie," She said softly, coming up behind Ramada, tapping his shoulder. "I'm back."

He took his hands from his face, turning to look at who had tapped on his shoulder and, at seeing the platinum blonde, recoiled in fear. "No, no, not again!! I won't go back – "

Daidera quickly took her hand from her pocket, shoving it over her Leaders mouth, looking into burgandy eyes with stern purple eyes. "Swallow, love." She spoke, her voice low and commanding.

With wide eyes, back against the post of the steps, he nodded, doing as she asked.

Kirei watched, standing in the yard, a good 3 feet placed between her and the two Akatsuki as Ramada's eyes rolled back into his head, slipping closed right afterward.

Only a minute passed before he began moving again, blinking his eyes and removing Daidera's hand. "Thank you, Daidera." He began, voice back to it's deep and commanding tone. He took a moment to look across from him, expecting to find Kirei sitting there, but she wasn't. "Where's – " Looking around, he found his blonde, standing away from them, confusion and distrust strewn in her face.

As he got up, stepping down one of the steps toward her, Kirei took a step backward. Who the hell was _**this**_? Ramada or that guy who knew her uncle? How could she trust someone when she didn't even know who that someone was?

He smiled softly at her, trying to reassure his beloved blonde. "It's okay, Kirei-chan. You can trust me." He found her unwavering eyes staring back at him, making him wonder if he could get her to trust him. Why couldn't he have an episode back at base, where she wouldn't be with him? "I'll explain everything later to you, I swear this."

Regarding him carefully, she nodded slightly. "…alright…but I want Ita-san to hear it to."

He sighed heavily, closing his eyes momentarily. "Of course." He regained his smile when she stepped toward him, taking his hand as he offered it. "I think it's about time we get back anyway, love." He motioned to the already set sun, knowing they'd been gone for a few hours.

She nodded once more, letting him teleport the both of them, Daidera following behind them. "I'm gonna take a nap." She said as soon as they hit the floor of the base, knowing Ramada had teleported to their hallway, where her room was. Plus, she wanted to get away from the both of them.

He kissed her forehead gently, letting her hands slip from his. "Alright, love. If there's anything you need, please, let me know."

Giving him a small smile, she entered her room, shutting and locking the door behind her. She took a moment before going to her bed and flopping on it, sighing. Maybe if she told Itachi what had happened, he'd know what was wrong.

Either way, something was definitely wrong with Ramada.

And she would find out, one way or another.

* * *

Sitting at his desk as the sun began to set, Minato sighed heavily, setting down the papers within his hand, eyes traveling to the many photo frames upon his desk. Tired blue eyes were drawn to the photo of him and his sister from many years before, beckoning his hand to pick it up.

Before his hand reached the photo, it jerked to a stop from the clutter upon the balcony, the glass door soon sliding open. When he saw who was coming inside, his eyes widened, mouth dropping open for only a few seconds. "Itachi?!" He exclaimed, watching the tall raven shut the door behind him, eyes half lidded and very tried. "I didn't expect you for another few weeks!"

Itachi led himself to one of the chairs within the office, falling into it with a sigh, eyes slipping shut. "I know, Minato. Trust me, I didn't plan this either."

At the Uchiha's tired words and his tired appearance, Minato calmed a bit, his mind still wondering why Itachi showed up. His heart told him it wasn't anything good if he was here weeks before he should be. "What's going on, Itachi?"

Itachi took in a deep breath, setting his elbow upon the armrest, putting his face in his hand. "I found something out last night that's imperative to Konoha's survival."

"Konoha's…survival?" The Yondaime repeated, furrowing his eyebrows at the raven.

He nodded. "Yes. Last night, after Kirei had finally fallen asleep –"

"She's having sleeping troubles?" The blonde interrupted quickly, worried about his niece.

"That's not the point here, Minato." Itachi replied flatly, knowing he'd interrupted because he was worried, but there were larger things than Kirei's sleep at stake.

He lowered his head slightly, letting out a dry cough. "Of course, please continue." He said quietly, taking in the Uchiha's grave tone, wondering just what the hell he had on his mind.

"As I said, Kirei had just gotten to sleep when Ramada called me into his office." He sighed once again, taking his hand from his face and looking directly into blue eyes. "He informed me of their plan, Minato."

Immediately, all thoughts of worry for Kirei left his mind. His voice became much softer, much lower, knowing know how grave the situation was. "What are they planning, Itachi?"

Itachi closed his eyes, remembering back one night ago to the details of the plan, trying to make sure he had everything right before letting it slip from his mouth. "For the last three months, he's been "evaluating" my work, trying to figure out if I was double crossing him. He feels that I'm not, even if I'm just there for Kirei."

The Hokage nodded, understanding so far, waiting for the Uchiha to continue.

"Since the beginning of summer, three months ago, he's had a three man team search and track a Jinchūriki, just in case taking Naruto didn't work out." He informed, keeping his eyes glued to the Hokage's.

He took a minute to make sure Itachi was serious, wondering how in God's name someone could _**think**_ to use one of the Jinchūriki's for any plan. "What – "

"It's the 7 tail." Itachi said gravely.

Shocked, the Yondaime fell back into his seat. "The 7 – " He started off, tongue trying to catch up with his racing mind. "Itachi, are you absolutely _**sure**_?"

He nodded. "Straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak."

Still back in his seat, the Yondaime sighed, bringing his hand up to set his face within it, but took it back, not knowing what to do with his hands. In short, the Yondaime's mind was at a blank.

"According to Ramada," Itachi continued after a moment, letting Minato's mind catch up to the news. "He plans to have the whole Akatsuki attack and capture the 7 tail early next year. After he's sure we've knocked her out, he plans on extracting the beast and controlling it."

"I'm afraid to ask, but for what?" The blonde asked, listening in on each and every word Itachi spoke, knowing it wouldn't get any better. The raven's words were deeper and graver with every word spoken.

Itachi sighed another large sigh, leaning forward slightly, taking a moment to close his eyes. After that moment, in which he knew the Yondaime would freak, he opened onyx eyes, bringing them to look once again, directly in sapphire. "To attack and decimate Konoha."

The Hokage stared, wide eyed, mouth dropping slightly.

"I'm dead serious, Minato. He's planning on destroying Konoha, taking it over and rebuilding it – in Akatsuki's name – using it as his starting place to take over the rest of the world." Itachi explained, watching as Minato still stared. It unnerved Itachi just a little bit, seeing how his Hokage had no other reaction than shock.

Taking a few deep breaths, the Yondaime took a moment, gathering up everything Itachi told him and trying to make sense of it. Searching and tracking for the 7 tail, a notably powerful Jinchūriki, capturing it, extracting the demon and then using it to attack Konoha.

Why did it all sound so familiar?

"Yeah, that's why he told me about it, Minato." Itachi answered, able to read his Hokage's thoughts due to the perplexed look on his face. "Because I was part of the "Original Akatsuki" he wanted to see if Madara would be happy with it."

He tilted his head. "You mean he's only doing this because – "

"They're obsessed with doing anything and everything just like the Akatsuki from the Tv show." The raven cut off, knowing the Hokage's question.

He came out of his seat just a bit, setting his elbow on the desk edge, putting his head in his hand. "What a mess…" He rubbed his temples slightly, a headache starting to form in his mind.

Who in their right mind, in their sane mind, would track and attack a Jinchūriki, notably someone as powerful as the 7 tail, try to extract it and use it to attack another village? Everyone knew that Jinchūriki's were not to be fooled around with, not to be attacked. An attack upon one of them was an act of war. And war was not what the world needed at the moment.

All of this led Minato to believe that Ramada was not sane.

Seeing how deep in thought the Hokage was, Itachi watched as he got up from his seat and slowly walked over to the large glass door, folding his arms behind his back. With solemn deep blue eyes he looked upon his city, watching the smoke rise from chimneys, the children playing and running to their families and how people passed each other with a wave and "Hello."

Itachi got up, coming beside his Hokage and also looking to the city. How beautiful and peaceful Konoha really was. "What are you going to do?" He asked softly.

The Yondaime's reply was quick and short, his eyes never wavering.

"I don't know."

* * *

Walking into the Akatsuki Kitchen with plastic bags hanging from his arms, Itachi found that he was not alone.

Ramada was sitting at the table, a cup of coffee within his hand. "Where have you been, Itachi-san?" He asked, an accusing tone in his voice. As soon as he and his blonde had arrived home, Itachi was nowhere to be seen. He wasn't within the base, nor around it, leading Ramada to believe something was up.

Raising the bags on his arms slightly, Itachi did not remove the stoic look from his face. "Grocery shopping." He informed. The raven wasn't stupid. He knew that when he left the Hokage's that it was late and that Kirei and Ramada might be back. That's why he took most of the food from his refrigerator at home – at least, what Sasuke didn't eat – and put it in plastic bags. That way, even if Ramada was waiting for him, he'd have an excuse.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, the shaggy haired left his seat and coffee, coming up an examining the bags. "I see."

"Kirei asked me to get her some things, some chocolate and such. I thought it best to go out and get it when you were with her, instead of me leaving now, when she's at base." The raven explained further. He'd thought this whole thing out way before he left the Yondaime's.

At the mention of his blonde, Ramada nodded. "Good thinking. Leave what is not Kirei-chan's here. I'll put them away."

Itachi did as told, putting all the bags but 3 on the kitchen table, bowing to his "Leader" and leaving the room, heading down the hallway.

Coming into their room, he wasn't surprised to find Kirei on her bed, curled up in his cloak, holding a small stuffed wolf within her arms, trying to sleep. When she heard him enter, she opened her sleepy eyes, watching him with a small smile. "Hi, Ita-san." She said softly.

He smiled back slightly, setting the bags aside and coming over to her bed, sitting upon it beside her. "Trying to sleep?"

She nodded, sighing deeply. "Mm-hm."

Reaching out a hand, he pet the top of her head, watching her smile in response. "I brought some things for you in those bags. Sasuke's reply, some chocolate, some art stuff Sasuke said you'd like, okay?"

Opening blue eyes, she looked at the bags, trying to decide if she wanted to get up and go through them, but found herself too tired. Plus, she had a few questions for Itachi. "Ita-san?"

He kept petting her head, noticing how her eyes would droop for a few moments and then snap open. "Hm?"

"You've been around a Schizophrenic before, right?"

That was an odd question. At least, Itachi wasn't expecting it. "…yeah," He answered after a moment, his petting faltering slightly. "Zetsu is a schizophrenic…why?"

Sighing, Kirei set her animal aside, pulling herself up so that she was sitting next to her Ita-san. Tired as she was, she leaned slightly, letting her head rest on his arm until he took his arm out from under her, letting her rest on his chest so that he could continue to pet her head. "I think Ramada is too. I wanted to ask what he's like…cause something happened today."

Continuing his soft petting, he kept his voice calm and low, not wanting to wake her up further. Maybe he could even get her to sleep. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

She shook her head, closing her eyes. "Uh-uh. We were just talking about general things…and he started…shaking, I guess. His hands, I mean." She said softly, remembering the details. "And all of a sudden, he was looking at them and the area around us…like he didn't even know where he was. He seemed confused."

"And what happened when he looked at you?" Itachi asked, knowing this wasn't the normal description of Schizophrenia.

"He didn't know me." She replied softly. "He asked for my name and I told him…he couldn't believe he kidnapped me…he even apologized to me, saying something like "I'll never become Mizukage now!"." She mocked in her best voice. "He even said something about Uncle Yondy…and I didn't know what was wrong with him. That's when Daidera showed up and gave him something and Poof! He's Ramada again."

From her explanation, Itachi knew she wasn't speaking about Schizophrenia. It sounded more like DID, Dissociative Identity Disorder, a "medical" condition that explained how one person had multiple personalities. "It sounds more like Multiple Personality Disorder." He told her softly, knowing MPD was a more familiar name than DID. "Is this the first time it's happened?"

She nodded. "As far as I know…" Letting a yawn escape from her mouth, she felt Itachi chuckle, his petting never stopping.

"Don't let it worry you…I'll get to the bottom of it, okay?" He asked, looking down at his brother's blonde. "Try and get some sleep."

"…okay, Ita-san…" She answered as softly as she could, nodding off to sleep. What a day she'd had.

Itachi laughed slightly, loving how cute she was when she was sleepy. She reminded him of a little child, a little sister who needed to be taken care of. He let her crawl back to her bed, taking the covers and tucking her in, chuckling once again when she grabbed the stuffed wolf and gripped it. "I'm not going to get my cloak back, am I?"

Curling up in her covers – and newly acquired cloak – she shook her head slowly. "Nope."

He shook his head, petting her head once more before letting the blonde nod off to a rare sleep. Sitting on his own bed, he took out a note pad and pen, writing down a possible question to the enigma that was Ramada.

He was, possibly, not who they thought he was.


	21. Reunion

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD The song used is, "Before the Dawn" by Evanescense.

_Notes:_ Happy Holidays!!! For whatever you celebrate, I hope you had/have a great holiday! I know I did. For those who don't know, I've been wanting an Ipod for about 3 years and have asked for one, birthday and Christmas. I've FINALLY gotten one, and when I asked for a Ipod Nano, I got an ITOUCH!!!!! :D I'm very happy and I hope you are too. Enjoy the chapter, and have a Happy Holiday!! :D

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!!

* * *

_Chapter 21 – Reunion_

* * *

Kirei sighed heavily, looking out the window of her and Itachi's room, head in her hand, bundled up in the cloak she still hadn't given back to Itachi. She watched each and every large snowflake fall to the already snow coated ground, not minding how her warm breath fogged up the window.

Also in the room was Itachi, sitting on his bed and working on a report from their last mission. Oddly enough, he couldn't seem to concentrate. At every sigh from the blonde, his eyes would travel to her and he couldn't take his gaze from her. It was upsetting to see her sit there and look sadly out onto the world she could never travel.

It was understandable that she was upset. It was the day before Christmas Eve, after all.

This would be her first Christmas away from the ones she truly loved.

"Kirei," Itachi said softly, setting aside the report and pen as he got up from his seat and walked toward the door.

It took her a minute to pull herself from the daydream she'd been having about being home for Christmas; being in the living room of the Hokage mansion with Naruto, Uncle Yondy and Sasuke, bundled up on the couch with him…her uncle and Naruto sitting on the chairs…all of them watching some Christmas special…_**together**_. "Yes?" She asked, tearing depressed blue eyes from the world outside to look at her Ita-san.

Looking back, it felt weird to Itachi to see her without her smile, with sad eyes. It wasn't normal. "I've got to talk to Ramada about something, so I'll be right back."

She nodded and returned her gaze to the winter world outside. Returning her gaze was like returning to the daydream she'd had. And the heartache.

He sighed heavily, knowing there was really nothing he could do to help her; unless talking with Ramada worked.

Locking the door behind him, he went further down the hall, knowing their "Leader" was in his office. Coming to the office door, he knocked first, waiting for a reply before entering.

"Proceed."

He did, finding the office the same as usual. One desk, three chairs; Ramada behind the paper covered desk.

Picking his head up from his paperwork, Ramada smiled slightly when he saw Itachi. "Ah, Itachi-san. What a pleasant surprise." He motioned for the raven to have a seat.

Taking the seat, Itachi watched his "leader", making sure what he had to say would go the way he planned. If it didn't, he wasn't sure of what he'd do to help Kirei. "Leader, I have a…suggestion…or rather, a question."

Ramada nodded, keeping his eyes with the raven's. "Of course."

He sighed before asking. "How does Christmas work around here?"

Arching an eyebrow, the Leader answered somewhat hesitantly, wondering just where Itachi was going with this. "All missions are postponed. Despite the fact that we are an "evil organization", we are still like a "family." All members will be within the base today, Christmas Eve, Christmas and the day after." As his words left his mouth, he realized where Itachi was going with his question.

"That's what I'm worried about." Itachi said, knowing what Ramada had just thought by the expression he wore. "There's no doubt that I can defend her, Leader. But I can't defend her from men whom I've never met and have no clue on their abilities."

"Are you suggesting you should take her and leave base for those four days?" Ramada asked, his voice low, eyes slightly narrowed. Christmas was a holiday to be spent with loved ones; not have them taken away.

The Uchiha could easily see Ramada didn't like the idea, but he had more to convince Ramada. "Yes. Think about it, Leader. I understand you want to be with her for Christmas, but don't you value her safety over being with her?" He asked. "Once your plan is in motion and you take over Konoha, you can have all the Christmas's you want, since you'll have your own home. But that would be hard if she was attacked this one Christmas, wouldn't it?"

Itachi held a strong point. Ramada did value his blonde's safety over being with her – even if he loved to be with her. If he had to choose, he'd rather spend a thousands Christmas's with her than spend none at all. "You have a valid point, Itachi-san."

Smiling slightly on the inside, Itachi knew he would agree to let him take her away. Although, he didn't show it. He kept his face stoic, making sure not to show any emotion at all.

"I will allow you to take Kirei-chan away from here. But only for today and those three days, do you understand?" He asked, keeping his voice commanding. He did not want his only love taken from him and then never come back.

Itachi nodded.

Grabbing a piece of paper from his desk, he scribbled upon it, handing it to Itachi. "I want to know where you'll be at all times. You will also have Kirei-chan sign this form, telling me that she also knows where you'll be. That way – "

"I wouldn't dream of lying to my Leader." Itachi cut off, knowing what Ramada was going to say. He took the paper, realizing it was the exact same as a mission report. Oh what fun.

Smiling slightly, Ramada looked to him. "Good. Remember what I told you, Itachi-san." He said maliciously, referring to their shopping trip with Kirei so many months ago. "Leave as soon as you can."

Getting up, Itachi bowed slightly, taking a smile on his face as soon as his back was to Ramada. Shutting the door behind him silently, he quickly went back to his and Kirei's room, opening the door and walking inside.

What a surprise…Kirei was still in her seat, still gazing out the window. She didn't even bother to look at the door when it opened.

Sighing, he walked over to her, setting the paper on his bed before coming up to her. "Kirei." He said, trying to get over seeing her so sad…so…unemotional.

Slowly, she looked over at him, blinking her eyes in response.

It was harder said than done. "I've been trying to figure out what I'm getting you for Christmas this year,"

She blinked once more, listening to the Uchiha's words, but not really caring. She wanted to get back to her daydream. At least then the heartache wasn't so unbearable.

He was unfazed by her silence, although it did unnerve him. Kirei had always been a talkative girl…even when she was upset, she still had _**something**_ to say. "And I think I know what I'm going to do…but I need you to sign this, okay?" He asked, showing her the paper.

She took her hands from the sleeves of the large cloak, taking the paper and examining it. She tilted her head. "We're leaving for Christmas?"

He nodded. "Ramada and I thought it would be safer for you since all of the members would be here during the holiday." He explained, watching those lifeless blue eyes regain some color, some life.

"And I have to sign it?" She asked, taking a pen he offered her and signing it. She wasn't going to argue to stay; she _**wanted**_ to leave.

"Yes…so you know where we're going and so Ramada doesn't think I'm lying to him." He explained further, taking the paper back as she finished signing where she was supposed to sign.

Feeling some sort of life come back into her, she wondered where he was taking her, hoping to God that he would tell her they were going home. "Where are we going?"

Smiling at her, he went over to a drawer, taking out one of his black shirts and ripping it, folding it into a makeshift blindfold. He took it over and wrapped it around the blonde's eyes, tying it around her head. He didn't want it to be too tight, but it couldn't slip off. "You'll see."

She felt a smile come on her face, wondering just where they were going. She had a sure feeling in her heart that she was going home soon. She'd be back in Sasuke's arms soon. "Is it my Christmas present?"

Seeing that smile was a sight for sore eyes. "The best one I can give you."

* * *

For the rest of that night and half of Christmas Eve the two traveled, Itachi carrying the blindfolded Kirei, jumping through the oh so familiar trees, heading to a place where Kirei could forever be happy, even if it was just for one night.

"Will I be able to take a shower when we get wherever we're going?" The blonde asked, keeping her voice low, seeing as how her mouth was right next to Itachi's ear.

He nodded, knowing she'd be able to feel it. "Of course you can."

Her heart starting to race, feeling the lightest it's ever felt, she smiled, burrowing her face back into Itachi's shoulder. The wind bit at her nose and ears, making them hurt. At least his shoulder gave some protection from the bitter wind of winter.

He glanced backward, seeing just a tuff of blonde on his back, smile growing very large. Returning his sight ahead of him, he nodded to two concealed ANBU, knowing that the gates of Konoha weren't far off.

* * *

Feeling Itachi stop, Kirei tried to hold back a squeal, letting a small one escape as her feet hit the ground.

"Yes, we're here." Itachi chuckled, standing directly in front of her, his back to the large gates of Konoha, their home. Reaching around her head, he untied the blindfold, feeling the blonde take a large breath.

Heart racing, she waited for him to move the blindfold, smile extended from ear to ear.

"Are you ready?" He asked, seeing that smile and how her hands couldn't stop shaking out of excitement.

She kept her eyes closed, nodding vigorously. "Mm-hmm!"

He shook his head slightly, unable to take the grin from his face. He couldn't imagine what was going through her mind, but he'd know within a matter of seconds. "Now, don't scream." He said softly, removing the blindfold and stepping out of the blonde's view, waiting for the scream he'd told her not to scream.

Taking a deep breath, she opened blue eyes and gasped the largest gasp of her life, her heart skipping quite a few beats. "I…Ita…" She couldn't tear her eyes away, knowing those gates like the back of her hand. She felt herself frozen with shock, not knowing what to say, let alone what to think.

She was just too shocked.

"Merry Christmas, Kirei." Itachi said, tousling the girl's hair. Even though it was Christmas Eve, he knew he had to say it now because she'd be missing for the rest of the time they had in Konoha.

Well, not missing, but he was sure she wouldn't be seen for the rest of their stay.

Still very speechless, she closed her teary eyes, glomping the raven beside her, squeezing him as much as she could. He didn't even fathom what he'd done for her.

He hugged back, patting the girl lightly. "Go on," He urged. "Take your shower and go find him." He said with a smile, watching as Kirei smiled and ran off into Konoha.

Following suit, Itachi walked into the village, wondering if his friends would be at their film grounds like they always were. Now that he thought about it, they'd probably be at his house.

Trashing it, of course. Or living in it.

…well, what was the difference?

Shrugging, he figured he'd check the house first. He'd have to rate the damage and make them pay for it.

Taking a deep breath, Itachi smiled, finally feeling happy for the first time in a very long time. "It's good to be home."

* * *

Her hair light and fluffy from drying it after her shower, Kirei was now running down the barely occupied, barely lit streets of Konoha.

She'd headed back to her loft to get ready, wanting to be clean after traveling for a full day. Plus, she wanted to have the softest hair she could get, the sweetest smell she could have from the shower, all just for him.

So now, with just one jacket, she flew down the streets, trying to get to the school before the sun set, before all traces of light and warmth left the village streets.

She wasn't sure why she felt her heart pull her there, but it did. All throughout the afternoon, it told her he was there, walking the streets with a halved heart, with a gloomy look on his face. Her heart told her he was there.

And where her heart told her, she would follow.

She smiled a relieved smile, seeing the school come into view as her legs and lungs burned, not used to running so much since all she did at base was sit around and do nothing. Pushing the doors open, she continued to run as fast as burning legs would take her, going through the school and to the glass doors of the rose garden, knowing that he'd be there.

He had to be there.

For her own sake, he had to be there.

Feeling tears well up in her eyes although she hadn't even confirmed him being there, she went through the garden as quickly as she could, finding her way to the gazebo; to the first place they'd dance together, to the first place he'd called her Princess.

As blue eyes landed on the gazebo, her feet planted themselves onto the snow-covered ground, her mouth opened and panted, lips forming into a smile as tears began to fall.

He was there.

Only few feet from her, his back faced her, hands in his pants pockets, looking up slightly, probably waiting for the sun to set and the moon to rise. In his own little world, he didn't even hear the clatter and crunch of her feet on cobblestone and snow, the panting that came from her mouth. He was too focused upon the sky and it's winter beauty, wondering if she was watching it too.

Setting her hands upon her knees to get back the visible breath that escaped her mouth in loud pants, she picked up her head, closing her eyes and calling out to her love. "Sasuke!!"

He froze in his tracks, onyx eyes widening as a transparent cloud escaped his mouth. It couldn't be her. She was miles away from here, locked within a room. His mind told him not to look, telling him that it was a trick his heart was playing and that if he looked, no one would be there. And yet…something made him want to look.

She saw him stiffen. She saw him move. That was enough to make her call out again. "Sasuke!!" She cried, letting more tears fall as she ran toward him, not caring if the snow drenched her jeans or that the breath she pulled in was cold and harsh on her voice.

She didn't care. She just wanted him.

His ears weren't deceiving him. There really was someone there, someone calling out to him. Turning around to face what he thought wasn't real, the Uchiha let out an inaudible gasp, eyes locking on and never wavering from the blonde running toward him, her teary eyes closed tight. It was his blonde. "Ki – "

Finally reaching him, she threw her arms around his neck, catching his already moving lips in a passionate kiss, not even noticing as they fell backwards, landing on pure white, untouched snow.

It didn't take him long to kiss back. He kissed with that same passion, that same want that she had, arms instinctively wrapping around her small waist, gripping tightly, eyes fluttering shut.

She pulled her hands away from his neck, letting them travel down his collarbone and chest, allowing them to rest upon his chest to help hold herself up while her hair fell, curtaining around the both of them. She smiled as she felt him smile, her heart beating faster than she ever would've thought it could beat.

Sasuke let his hands slip across her waist, bringing them back to let his elbows support him, then finally his hands, placing them firmly on the snow and allowing himself to sit upright, Kirei right with him, her hands still on his chest.

She didn't care if they were on the ground or sitting, all she wanted was to be with him, and at the moment, she was. She sighed as she felt him break the kiss, looking up to deep onyx eyes to find them looking right back. She didn't even try to say anything, too out of breath, able to see the transparent cloud that melded with his breath.

Loving deep blue eyes, he reached one hand up, caressing her neck, slowly moving up the soft skin until he reached her cheek, watching as she smiled against his hand, closing her eyes. "I think I'm dreaming." He whispered to her softly.

"If you are," She began, still smiling, opening her eyes to look into his. "Than let's hope you never wake up."

He chuckled, letting the first smile he'd had since she left show on his lips, keeping his eyes locked with hers. "How did you know I was here?" He asked softly, so many questions running through his mind as it began to set in that Kirei was actually here. That his Princess was actually in his arms, sitting right with him.

She took her hands away from his chest, setting both of them with his calloused hand, missing the feel of them on her skin. Once again, her eyes fluttered shut. "My heart told me."

"How did you even get here?" He asked once more, keeping his voice soft as snowflakes began to fall slowly. "It's Christmas Eve."

"It's Itachi's Christmas Present. I'm not sure of all the details, but I don't care." She answered, voice just as soft as his. Biting her lip, she kept her cold hands on his, looking up at him again. How she missed seeing her raven. "I just want to stay with you."

He sighed, not realizing how much he missed seeing her big blue eyes, her pink lips, feeling her skin and how silky her hair was…closing his eyes as he sat up even more, he burrowed his face within her neck, able to feel how soft her skin had remained, how silky her hair still was and most important of all – how she still had that light scent about her. "Come with me."

She felt his hand slip from her face and travel down her shoulder and arm, coming to rest gently on her waist, trying to pull her every bit closer to him. "Where?" She asked, giggling slightly as his bangs tickled her neck.

"Anywhere." He answered quickly. "I don't want to share you, not tonight." He told her, not caring if he was being the most selfish person in the world. He didn't want someone showing up here, interrupting them and claiming the Yondaime's niece was back. That would result in people wanting to see her, which, in Sasuke's mind, equaled more time away from her.

He'd had enough time away from her.

"Just come with me." He repeated, hushed voice nearly begging her.

She kissed jet black locks, slipping an arm around the side of his broad shoulder that was open to her, seeing as how his head blocked his other shoulder, sighing in total happiness. "I'll go anywhere. So long as I'm with you." She whispered back, letting her fingers massage the shoulder underneath his jacket.

He smiled against her skin as he kissed it, able to feel how fast her heartbeat was by kissing the pulse on her neck. He could understand why it was so fast; his was too.

She laughed quietly, his bangs tickling her skin as they always did, the repetitive motion of his thumb massaging her waist also helping to tickle her. Normally she wasn't ticklish on her waist unless he poked her, but she'd had so little contact with people that everything was ticklish.

What a sound for sore ears. Her laugh was so adorable, so very missed. So, he kept kissing her pulse, kept moving his thumb, kept making her laugh. Although…if she kept laughing, someone might hear her…

Kirei's smile faded as she felt his hand leave her waist, his lips leave her neck. Her arm slipped from his shoulders as he moved away from her, slowly getting to his feet to stand. Looking up at him, confused blue eyes met calm onyx eyes.

Seeing her confused look, he smiled softly, extending his hand to her, to help her up.

Smiling back, she set her hand in his, letting him pull her to her feet. She was standing so close to him, she could feel the warmth of his chest without even moving.

He snaked his arms around her waist as hers snaked around his neck, her one foot coming up off the ground. "Hold on, Princess." He said, a large smile on his face as she pushed her nose against his, eyes staring dreamily into hers.

"I think this is the best dream you'll ever have." She told him, setting her head on his chest, wanting to hear something she'd missed dearly.

He kissed the top of her head, chuckling at his blonde as he teleported off, knowing exactly where he wanted to go. "Me too."

* * *

Sasuke chuckled and shook his head as Kirei nuzzled her face further into his chest, happy to hear the heartbeat that she'd missed dearly. "Don't you want to see where we are?" He asked, knowing the place all to well.

Eyes closed, still clinging to him, she shook her head. "I don't care." She told him, smiling and softly giggling. "I'm with you."

He sighed with a smile and looked up, petting her hair softly. He knew she'd missed him, but she could at least take a glance at where they were. After all, he'd brought her here so she could see it. "Will you look for me?" He asked softly, nuzzling the top of her head.

Sighing in content, she kept her head on his chest, kept her arms around his neck and simply opened her eyes, letting them focus in the dark of the oncoming night.

Sasuke knew that when her mouth dropped, her eyes widened and she picked up her head that she was amazed by what she saw.

Blue eyes took in all the glory of the deserted Church in front of her, wondering why there was an old, stone church within a clearing, secluded by the surrounding forest. The snow falling and already fallen added to the beauty of the silent church, allowing Kirei to see all of the stained glass even though some of it had been either shattered or removed. It reminded her purely of the widely known French church of Notre Dame, seeing the two towers and the base of the church that connected the two.

"Happy that you looked?" He asked, keeping his voice soft. Speaking loud in a quiet place like this was like defiling the sanctity of the church.

"It's beautiful…" She breathed, her voice turning into a cloud of breath as she spoke. Her breath had always shown during winter, since she was so small and didn't retain heat well. Turning her gaze back to him as he let her waist slip from his hands, taking her hands instead, she asked, "But what are we doing here?"

He led her along by her hands, coming to the large wooden doors of the church, pushing them open with his shoulder. "You'll see."

"And how did…" Her voice faded as she walked inside the dark church, eyes becoming wide once more.

He smiled, knowing her question, but also that she would be even more amazed with the inside of the church. He had to admit that when he first saw it, he was speechless. "It was built sometime after Konoha was," He told her. "No one knows what happened to the village around it. It was just left here."

The light of the newly rising moon cast through the colored stained glass, creating a mystical glow inside the church, almost as if tiny snowflakes of glitter were falling. The few pews that were left within it were damaged, upside down or pushed aside, leaving a pathway to the front of the church.

That's when she saw it, the corners of her lips turning up into a smile.

At the front of the church, just below the largest of the stained glass windows was a small patch of Indigo flowers, the floorboards cut out, allowing the flowers to grow in the silence and majesty of the cathedral.

"It's just like Aerith's Church…" Kirei mumbled as Sasuke led her closer, eyes locked onto the flowers.

He nodded. "Yeah," Coming to the edge of the floorboards, he crouched down, keeping her hand in his and picked one of the full bloomed flowers, coming back to her and pushing some of her hair behind her ear while setting the flower in her hair. "These flowers only grow here, just like her church."

Smile wide on her face, she kept her eyes with his. "Is that why you brought me here?"

Smirking, he closed his eyes, still gently leading her along. "You'll see."

She couldn't help but giggle slightly, knowing that when he had something planned, he had to execute it perfectly. Which also meant that he wouldn't tell her until he _**wanted**_ to tell her.

He glanced backwards, just to make sure she was still smiling – in which she was, looking at him as well – leading her to the right side of the flower patch and, go figure, another wooden door. Shoving this one open as well, he found a very curious blonde right behind him, trying to look in.

"Where does this go?" She asked, eyeing up the large spiral staircase, noticing that the only light came from small, colored windows.

He looked back at her, not even needing to say it again. "Yo –"

"You'll see." She mocked him, smiling, letting out a small laugh.

He nodded, testing the old wood stairs and when deeming them safe, headed up the stairway. He didn't want her to get hurt, after all. "Exactly."

Shaking her head at him, she smiled, following behind closely. She'd seen him test the stairs and knew that they were probably very old. But the further they went up the stairs, the more she forgot about the dangers, her sight going in and out of focus. Blue eyes mainly watched her love, but also looked out the window when one past by, taking in the winter wonderland outside, wondering just how high they were going up.

"Here we go…" Sasuke mumbled, seeing the landing just a few steps away, another door situated on the one side. The other side continued further up into the tower, but he didn't want to go there.

At his words, Kirei's eyes were brought back to her beloved, not surprised in the least to find another wooden door. "Exactly how many wooden doors are we going to open?" She asked as they both came upon the landing, Sasuke opening this door with ease.

"Last one," He began, showing her outside first. "I promise."

A gasp escaped her mouth as she saw where they were, her hand slipping from his as she ran across the bridge of stone that connected the two towers, coming to the railing and hanging upon it, looking out over the white forest below.

He smiled, shoving his hands in his pockets as he came up beside her, leaning on the railing as her blue eyes darted to everything; to the snow white forest below, to the mountain out in the distance, to the star fill sky, the moon shining it's bright light upon the whole scene, making the snow glitter. It was almost as if they couldn't see everything fast enough.

"It's like a winter wonderland…" She mumbled, still looking up on scene with amazement. She looked for only a moment more, bringing blue eyes back to her raven, finding that he was watching her.

He couldn't help but sigh, seeing the blue glow her eyes gave off, the shine her skin and hair gave off, leaning over and kissing her, not realizing how much he'd missed her sweet taste.

Smiling into the kiss, she moved closer to him as a cold winter wind blew through, freezing the blonde to her bones. The jacket she wore had always kept her warm in Akatsuki, but it seemed to be failing her on this church bridge.

He was happy to wrap his arms around her waist and bring her closer to him, feeling the shiver his blonde had, wanting to keep her warm. Breaking the kiss, he felt her set her head on his chest once more, sighing in content. He set his chin on her head, looking out to the moon. "Do you remember the one letter you sent me?"

She giggled. "You'll have to be a bit more specific."

Closing his eyes, he shook his head slightly, chuckling. "The one where you talked about the sunrise." He answered, remembering one letter where she'd talked about the sunrise; how she'd always wanted to see it, but no matter how awake she was, she always fell asleep before it came. She'd always missed it. "I'll keep you awake."

A smile found it's way to her lips, opening pristine blue eyes to look out onto the horizon. "You'd do that for me?" She asked softly, hands griping his jacket lightly.

Kissing the top of her head, he gripped her waist tightly. "I'll do anything for you."

* * *

Hours had passed for the two, the moon high in the dark sky, it's light waning whenever a cloud passed by.

The two had since sat down against the railing of the opposite side of the bridge, making sure that they were still able to see the sunrise whenever it came in the coming hours. Of course, Sasuke wouldn't let Kirei sit anywhere but his lap, allowing her to stay close and stay warm; something needed on a cold night like this.

He petted her hair gently with his left hand, right hand held tightly with Kirei's hands, eyes closed, her head resting on his chest, hearing what she loved.

Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum…

Closing his eyes, he nuzzled the top of her head gently, wanting to ask her something. "Sing for me." He whispered, hoping she would. He'd missed her voice as much as she'd missed his heartbeat.

"What song?" She asked back, voice just as soft, keeping her eyes closed.

"I don't care," He began, looking out into the sky. "I just want to hear your voice."

She smiled, snuggling into his chest, knowing exactly what song to sing. She'd gotten to hear his heartbeat more than once, it was only fair he got to hear her sing. Not that she minded singing for him. As he'd stated to her hours ago, she'd do anything for him.

He wasn't sure what to make of her silence, his mind wondering if she would, but yet knowing she would. His thoughts were confirmed when she took a deep breath, preparing to use her voice in such a cold night air.

"_Meet me after dark again and I'll hold you (hold you)  
__I want nothing more than to see you there…  
__And maybe tonight, we'll fly so far away,  
__We'll be lost before the dawn…"_

She started off, her voice deep and somber, commanding everything around her, keeping her eyes closed, staying close to her beloved.

It was everything Sasuke wanted to hear, closing his eyes and reveling in the sound, listening to the words.

_"If only night can hold you where I can see you, my love,  
__Then let me never ever wake again…  
__And maybe tonight, we'll fly so far away,  
__We'll be lost before the dawn…"_

Using all the power her voice had, she sang, portraying all the heartache, all the sadness built up over the four months without her love, closing her eyes and gripping his hand with all the passion she used to sing.

He knew how she felt better than she thought. He knew what every word meant to her, knew every feeling that was going through her heart, every thought going through her mind; his were the exact same.

Neither had never truly realized how much they cherished and loved the other; how much they'd missed each other.

_"Somehow I know that we can't wake again from this dream,  
__It's not real,  
__But it's ours.  
__Maybe tonight we'll fly so far away,  
__We'll be lost before the dawn…  
__Maybe tonight we'll fly so far away,  
__We'll be lost before the dawn…"_

He didn't need to look at her to know she was crying. He knew by her words and her sobs that she was crying.

She burrowed her face into his chest, keeping her grip tight. "I don't want to go back! I want to stay here with you!" She cried softly.

He swallowed thickly, wrapping his arms tightly around her, setting his lips on the top of her head. "I know, Kirei, I know…" He said softly into her hair, trying to soothe her, while trying not to cry himself.

She tried to calm herself, taking deep breaths and drying her eyes on his shirt, keeping her face concealed from his eyes. "…I just want to come home…" She hiccupped, feeling his knuckles kneed into her back, trying to calm her down.

"…" Sasuke didn't know what to say, not knowing any words that would calm her until he remembered those three little words. Shifting slightly, he tore one of his hands away, bringing his finger underneath her jaw, beckoning her to look at him.

Her sobbing softened as she followed his finger, teary pristine blue eyes boring straight into glazed onyx eyes.

Cupping her face, he dried her tears with his thumb, eyes very, very soft. "Don't cry anymore." He nearly begged, watching every tear that rolled down her cheeks. "I love you, Kirei."

She whimpered slightly, lips trembling as tears still fell. "I love you, too, Sasuke." She choked, keeping her eyes on his even though she wanted to bury her face in his chest again.

"Just remember I'll come for you. I'll come and save you." He reminded her, smiling just enough to coax a smile out of her.

She nodded, a watery smile on her lips. "I know," She said after a few moments, making sure that he could understand her when she spoke. "And I'll be waiting for you." Sighing a very large sigh, she closed her eyes and snuggled back into her Uchiha, burrowing her face in his neck instead of his chest.

He could feel her tears run down his neck, knowing that she was crying out all the tears pent up, also knowing that soon, they'd stop. In lieu of her shifting positions, he shifted his hold on her, one hand around her back and on her waist, gently caressing the skin under her shirt and jacket, the other gripping her thigh, pulling her up gently and then moving to her face, brushing back her bangs like he always did.

She let out a small whine in content, always loving how he touched her, how he pushed back her bangs in such a manner that made her want to fall asleep.

Closing his eyes, he sighed, leaning his head against hers, feeling something he hadn't felt in a long time. It was almost as if he was in a dream, everything foggy and mismatched, eyes feeling so tired. Even his breathing had slowed and deepened.

Kirei found herself in the same state; her breathing slow, her body very warm. Her eyes remained closed, taking in his oh so familiar and yet missed scent with every breath she took.

Both were falling asleep.

Together for the first time in 4 months, all their feelings renewed and yet numb, both fell asleep under a cold starry sky, hoping that they'd never wake from this dream.

* * *

Hinata's small present square in his hands, silver bow blinding his eyes when they looked at it, Naruto sighed. "It's not the same, Hina."

Looking around his living room, Naruto was surrounded by Christmas decorations, mountains of presents and his friends – at least, everyone but one.

That, everyone but one, was Sasuke. Naruto knew he was probably on one of his famous "brooding walks", aimlessly walking around the whole village to get his mind off of Kirei, but he promised Naruto that no matter what, he'd show.

Seeing those disconnected blue eyes staring off into space, Hinata knew he wasn't talking about Sasuke even though he probably had the raven on the brain. He was talking about Kirei. "I know it's tough, sweetie," She began, setting her hand on his back, rubbing gently. "It'll all be o – "

Letting the present slip from his hands, it hit the floor with a loud thunk. "No, it won't!" He yelled, closing his eyes tightly.

At his outburst, all chatter stopped and many curious eyes were brought to the blonde, wondering what was wrong.

Finding inquiring eyes meeting hers, trying to ask what was wrong, Hinata looked back to her blonde and set her hands on his, gently trying to pull him to his feet. "Come on, hun. Let's go up to your room." If he was going to have a breakdown, she wouldn't let it be in front of all their friends.

He complied, letting her tug him to his feet and up the stairs, keeping his eyes closed, head lowered. Gulping as he followed his blue haired down the hallway and to his room, he kept his eyes closed. He didn't want to look at anything at all.

Downstairs, many worried glances were exchanged and all talk had either stopped or come to a low murmur. Naruto and Kirei had always – since day one – acted like true brother and sister, even calling each other as such, so he had to be hurting despite his bright blue eyes, large grin and happy demeanor. It was only a matter of time before he had a breakdown.

It seemed to everyone that that time was now.

Sitting on Naruto's large bed, Hinata pulled her blonde into her arms, massaging his hands as she held them, her arms wrapped around him. "Why don't you tell me what's on your mind?" She asked softly, looking down at him, pale eyes very soft.

He sighed heavily, letting his aching head rest on her chest, eyes slipping shut. "I should've never got her involved, Hinata." He began, shaking his head ever so slightly. "I should've never let her hang around us Ninja, got her involved in the Ninja world. All I did was bring her closer to her own death."

She kept massaging his hands, knowing he had much more to say even though she didn't like what he was saying.

"All those years ago, I promised Daisuke I'd never let her relive her worst nightmare, never let her get close to the Ninja world to keep her out of danger. And what do I go and do? I get her involved!!" He raged, squeezing his eyes shut to try to stop the tears. "I'm her fucking older brother!"

She winced at his yelling and crushing grip he had on her hands, but remained silent, listening to her blonde, knowing he was close to tears.

"I'm supposed to protect her from all of that! I'm supposed to be there for her and protect her from all the dangers the Ninja world has!" He exclaimed, feeling a few tears slip from the corners of his eyes. "But now it's my fault she's in this mess!! All my fucking fault that she's in Akatsuki, all my fault that she's there right now, away from all of us and in so much danger that it could – "

"No." Hinata said firmly, not letting her love blame himself. "Naru, she _**chose**_ to go to Akatsuki. She chose to get involved with the Ninja world knowing the dangers that lied with it." Gripping his hands, she brought her face closer to his, kissing his locks. "She chose to be closer to you."

His grip on her hands loosened slightly, eyes opening and yet looking out to nothing. "To be…closer to…me?" He repeated, letting his distraught mind come to the realization.

"Yes," Hinata said softly, nodding slightly. "Think about it. She moved from here to the loft…and yet she still came to the film grounds every day…maybe to see all of us, but who did she always say "hi" to first?" She asked, helping him come to the realization.

"Me." He answered just as soft, eyes still spaced out.

"And who did she always hang around?" She asked, knowing one possible answer could be herself or Sasuke, but the majority of her time was with Naruto.

"Me." He repeated. Tears still fell, but the blonde began to understand.

Smiling slightly, Hinata kissed him again. "Right. You can't put the blame on yourself, sweetie." She spoke, beginning to massage his hands again, trying to help him calm down. "She chose, of her own free will, to go with Akatsuki, to save us. To save you. If she hadn't, who knows what would've happened to Konoha; to you. She did it out of the love for her older brother."

Deep in his guilt-ridden heart, Naruto knew that she was right, eyes darting to the floor of his room. He couldn't put the blame on himself, even though, yes, he may have been at some fault. It was her choice to go with Akatsuki even if it endangered herself.

"It just goes to show how much she loves you." Hinata added, smiling just a bit. She knew that his silence meant he was thinking; that he was forgiving himself.

He sighed once more, letting his eyes close, finally dry of tears. "You're saying I need to forgive myself." He said quietly, knowing that in the silence of the room she'd hear him.

She nodded, kissing his locks and gently squeezing his hands. "Yep. You can't blame yourself for something she chose to do. You can be sad that she's gone, but don't let it break you. And just remember, we're always here for you to talk to." She added, remembering how she had to tell a certain raven that same thing.

Tilting his head backward, he looked up, finding a smile and pale eyes looking back at him. "I love you, Hinata."

She smiled even more, kissing his forehead. "I love you too, Naruto."

Keeping his head tilted back, he looked at his ceiling. "I think I'm gonna take a nap."

Eyebrow arched, she was waiting for him to say something about ramen.

"And then maybe get some ramen afterward."

She shook her head, smile larger than ever. "Whatever you want to do. I'll be right here."

He returned his head to normal, closing his eyes. He may not have felt tired, or even sleepy, but he wanted time away from everyone. Going back downstairs now would mean he'd have to answer a lot of questions and at the moment, he didn't feel like answering any questions. Sleep was a good reason to stay up in his room with his love. "You better be. You're my teddy bear."

She shook her head once again, letting her right hand remove itself from his hands and play with his short gold locks. Ever since they started going out, she noticed that if she played with his hair and brush it back in a soothing motion, he'd fall asleep quickly. "Just get some sleep, love."

He snuggled against her, sighing. With her hand running through his hair, he might actually fall asleep.

Hinata laughed slightly at his snuggle, continuing her hair running, while watching him with soft pale eyes, wondering if cousins were alike.

* * *

With talking only up to a murmur, Sakura looked at the clock on the mantle in the living room, sighing.

It had been at least…12 minutes since Hinata took Naruto upstairs and there was no sign that they were coming down anytime soon.

"Sakura, don't worry so much," Ino said, coming to sit by her friend, knowing she was worried. "You'll get wrinkles in that large forehead of yours." She smiled at Sakura, handing an extra mug of hot chocolate to her, trying to cheer her up a little bit.

Taking the mug in both hands, Sakura's disconnected emerald eyes watched how the marshmallows dissolved in the chocolately liquid. "Uh-huh." She mumbled, not caring, not even hearing the half insult.

Ruffling her blonde eyebrows, Ino looked over at Sakura, getting a little bit worried herself. "Honey," She said, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Seriously, don't worry yourself. Hinata'll take good care of him."

Nodding, Sakura let some form of a smile come on her face. "I know she will, but I can't help it. He's one of my best friends."

"And I understand that," Ino said, rubbing her shoulder slightly. "But it's okay. He'll be fine."

Sitting there, Sakura wasn't sure of what to do. She knew Ino was right – Hinata would take good care of Naruto – but wasn't there anything she could do? Picking up her head, she looked around the Christmas decorated room, seeing all of their – No, actually…someone was missing…wasn't there?

A smile came onto the pink haired girl's lips, emerald eyes regaining some of their color as the thought jumped into her mind. "I'm gonna go look for Sasuke." She stated, not even noticing when Ino looked over at her, slightly confused.

"What? Why?" It's not like the raven had to be here. After all, he was always silent and brooding, just sitting there on the couch, watching everyone else. He wasn't like the life of the party or anything, so why not let him do what he wants? If he doesn't want to be here, so be it.

"Well," Sakura started off, taking a sip of her warm hot chocolate, looking over at her friend to explain. "Think about it. Naruto's upset cause Kirei's not here and maybe even because of Sasuke. I mean, the butthead did promise us he'd be here and where is he?"

"Not here." Ino answered, understanding where Sakura was getting to.

She nodded. "Right. So if I can go find him and bring him back here, – "

"Oh, I don't think you'll find him."

Everyone in the room went silent, hearing this new, unexpected voice, looking around for its owner. When they found Itachi standing in the living room doorway, everyone was a little more than shocked.

"Hey, we're here too, uh!!" Deidara yelled, walking past Itachi and into the room, lots of presents in his arms. Just because they hadn't seen him in months doesn't mean they can ignore him and his Danna.

Sasori followed behind Deidara, holding the other half of the presents in his arms, seeing smiles come onto some of the group's faces.

It was a little odd to be here, in the Yondaime's home during Christmas, seeing as how they had their own little shindig with the Akatsuki, but over the last few months, they'd all grown much closer than anyone would've thought. The reason?

Well, Sasuke mainly.

Everyone had taken turns keeping an eye on the younger raven on Itachi and Kirei's behalf, making sure he wasn't cutting or doing something "ridiculously fucking stupid," as Hidan put it. Every once in a while, they'd get together without his knowing and collaborate; who would keep their eye on him this week and next week, who'd stay at the house with him – in which Hidan always volunteered for – and exchange what he'd done, just to make sure he was okay.

All of this had brought the two groups together, finding friends they knew they had, but never really knew.

Sakura was shocked, staring wide eyed at the Uchiha. "Wha – " She began, trying to find her voice as he moved further into the room, sitting on one of the chairs. "What do you mean, "You don't think we'll find him."?" She asked, titling her head, not realizing that as Deidara and Sasori handed out their presents, everyone watched and listened to their conversation.

Knowing Sakura was smart, he gave her a small clue. "Sakura," He addressed, grabbing a few of the dango sticks he'd been eyeing up since seeing them moments ago. "I'm here. You all know I left Konoha because I'm – "

She gasped, cutting him off. "That means Kirei's here too!" She cried, eyes slightly wide.

"Wow, really?!" Ino asked, looking at the older Uchiha, smile coming onto her face as he nodded. "I'll go tell Naruto!" She yelled happily, getting up and running over the stairs.

Fortunately, sitting on the couch closest to the stairs, Shikamaru caught her arm, forcefully holding her back. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

On the couch with his girlfriend in his arms, Neji nodded. "…Yeah, I don't know if he could handle it right now."

Stopping in her tracks, the bright blonde turned around, shaking Shikamaru's hand from her arm. "What do you mean?" She asked the Hyuuga, eyebrows ruffled.

As those two stopped her, Sakura came to understand their reasoning. "Well, Ino," She began, directing the pine green eyes toward her own emerald green eyes. "He's kinda emotionally distressed right now…so telling him that Kirei's here might actually cause him to break down further."

"How so?" She asked, confused. If she were in his position, knowing that Kirei was here, she'd be absolutely happy and want to know she was home.

Sighing, she continued. "Because she's with Sasuke right now, at least," She shot a look to Itachi, who nodded, confirming that Kirei was with Sasuke. "Okay, so they are together. What I guess I'm trying to say is that it's probably better to not tell him, that way he won't run out right now and try to find her. He'd be so hell-bent, he might hurt himself and that's the last thing we want to see happen to him."

Ino began to understand her point.

"Yeah," Kiba nodded, also understanding the point. "And even if he did find them, I kinda think Sasuke and Kirei need their time together. If Naruto was there…who knows what would happen to all three of them?" He brought up another point.

The bright blonde nodded, slowly coming to sit in her previous seat next to Sakura. "So we just not tell him?" She asked hesitantly, looking around the room to all of their friends.

Most of the stayed silent, sighing and nodding. There were few spoken answers, but all the answers were "yes."

"So, Itachi," Shikamaru began, relaxing in one of the soft leather chairs of the Hokage Manor, the party still not completely back to life, but showing some form of what it used to be. "Has anything happened with Akatsuki recently?" He asked, taking notice of the glances he got.

Raising an eyebrow, chewing on a dango stick, he nodded. He'd already told Minato of the plan Akatsuki had for Konoha, so he figured that even if the group didn't know of the plan itself, they were entitled to know that it was dangerous and threatened their lives. "Yes, actually. A few weeks ago I told the Yondaime about the plan I'd been informed of." Sighing, he got up, heading for the door of the Mansion, since Sasori and Deidara were waiting for him outside; he just wanted the rest of the dango.

Shikamaru wasn't stupid. He knew that Itachi wouldn't let anyone know the details of the plan, even though he knew how to find out what kind of plan it was and how dangerous. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

He turned around before leaving the manor, looking to all of the curious and yet serious faces. "Right now," He started off sadly. "There's nothing anyone can do."

* * *

The mood of the party ultimately shot with Itachi's grave "warning", everyone had decided to watch a movie together, hoping that maybe it would cheer people up.

It was kind of hard, seeing as how they couldn't keep the thought of Kirei being in the village and Itachi's reply from their minds.

But suddenly, all attention was drawn to the upstairs, hearing a door shut softly. They watched from the corners of their eyes as Hinata led what looked to be a sleepy yet teary Naruto down the stairs, coming to sit on their usually spot on the couch.

He didn't seem all that happy or upset, probably numb from feeling, not acknowledging anyone or anything. He wasn't even watching the movie on the large tv screen, even though he was looking at the screen. Things weren't just registering in his mind at the moment.

He hadn't even noticed that the two people whom he was convinced – and wanted to prove – were going out, were sitting together, Raiha in Neji's arms, snuggled up close to him, a smile on both their faces.

He was just too distraught to notice anything.

* * *

It was early morning now, the dark colors of night driven away by the now rising sun, bringing warmth to the frozen land.

Knowing where his little brother had taken Kirei all this time, Itachi landed softly on the rail of the bridge they were on, ready to take the blonde back to Akatsuki even if she didn't want to go. "Kir – "

Sighing, he felt a small smile come on his face.

Oh, they were together, all right. They were both sitting, Sasuke's back leaning against the rail as he held his blonde tightly, not letting her leave his lap in any way unless he allowed it. She had her head on his heart, listening to his heartbeat as her hands limply held his one, the other wrapped around her back, resting in her lap. What Itachi found the cutest, his head was leaning on hers, both of them fast asleep.

Sighing, he couldn't bring himself to wake either one. It would be way too cruel.

So, with a final look, he teleported off, knowing they had at least a few hours of leeway time to spend together before he and Kirei had to leave.

* * *

Those few hours went by rather fast and it seemed like only moments had passed when he stood at the gates, his brother across from him, holding Kirei in his grasp.

Despite them leaving, she had a smile on her face, arms wrapped around his neck, his arms around her waist. "I'm gonna miss you, Prince." She whispered, eyes closed.

He nodded, eyes also closed, kissing her forehead gently. "I'll miss you too, Princess."

Sighing softly, she reached up, ensnaring her lips with his, kissing him sweetly. She smiled, feeling him smile into the kiss.

He didn't want to pull away from her, but he did, setting his forehead on hers. "You need to get going or you'll be late."

Itachi's thoughts exactly.

She nodded slowly, not wanting to leave her loves arms. "I love you."

He squeezed her gently, burrowing his face in her hair for just a moment. "I love you, too." Letting her go, he watched her walk away from him, going over to his brother as he crouched down, ready to pick her up.

She was just about to get on his back, but gasped and turned back around, running right back toward Sasuke, a smile still on her face.

"What are you – " The younger raven asked with a smile, watching as she glomped him, setting her head on his heart for the last time, listening to his heartbeat. With a laugh, he shook his head. "Kirei, you've got get going."

She nodded, letting him go, while taking his hand and setting it on her head, looking at him expectantly.

Itachi arched an eyebrow, watching with a smile. What a funny creature she was. "What does she want?" He asked.

Staring into deep, pristine blue eyes, Sasuke finally realized what she wanted, a small smile coming onto his face. "Oh," He began, watching as her smile widened. "I know what you want."

Itachi watched as he tousled the blonde's hair, earning the oh so familiar cringe and giggle from her.

With one last kiss on his cheek, she ran back to Itachi, laughing and smiling.

Sasuke watched, also smiling as his brother jumped off, carrying his Princess on his back, knowing she'd be back soon. Chuckling as they disappeared on the horizon, Sasuke turned away, walking back into the village with his hands in his pockets.

His heart felt strangely light and he figured it would be a good idea to spend Christmas with people who were like his family; After all, he was in love with their niece/cousin.


	22. Sick

* * *

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD

_Notes: _Itachi likes donuts apparently. xD Anyway, i don't have much to say today, but have a Happy New Year!!! :D

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!!

* * *

_Chapter 22 – Sick_

* * *

"What do you want, Itachi?" A very irritable Ramada asked, already knowing who was knocking upon his office door. Hadn't he told all the members earlier this morning that he didn't want to be bothered?

Standing on the other side of the door, Itachi's face remained stoic despite the small outburst. He knew the man inside was touchy, seeing as how he was busy planning their assault on the Seven Tail that would take place sometime today.

But something else was worrying the Uchiha, something that he thought he could fix himself. When that was proved wrong, he went to the Leader, knowing there was something he could do. "There's something wrong with Kirei." He answered, hearing the cluttering of the Leader as he ran to answer the door.

The door flew open only a moment later, revealing a very messy office; almost like a paper tornado had spun through the place and left papers everywhere in its wake. "What's wrong with Kirei-chan?" He asked frantically, breathing a little ragged.

"She's sick." Itachi stated, leading his Leader to their room, sighing heavily. Instead of explaining for the elder man, he walked into their room, allowing Ramada to pass him and let the view explain.

Shaking his head slightly out of confusion, Ramada began to ask, "What do you…" His voice trailed off as he saw his blonde, lying there in her bed.

Her eyes we closed as of the moment, her face absolutely flushed beyond any time he'd ever seen her blush. The covers had obviously been pulled up by Itachi, but pushed back down, allowing the blonde to breath easier, seeing as how her nose didn't work. It was way too stuffed up and she was way too hot to wear them anymore.

"I see what you mean." Ramada began, coming to the side of her bed, gently pushing back her rather greasy bangs, feeling her forehead with the back of his palm. "High fever."

Itachi nodded. "That's why I came to get you. She refuses medicine, won't eat, can't sleep…I don't know what to do with her." He explained, coming closer to her bed.

Over the past week, he knew she was getting sick, able to see it in the way she breathed, the way she looked. He tried giving her medicine, but she wouldn't take it, saying she hated medicine. Eating was something she'd just given up on, seeing as how her breakfast was still sitting upon the nightstand beside her bed.

Setting his hands behind his back, Ramada looked to his sick blonde and then to the floor, beginning to pace. "What to do, what to do…" He mumbled, trying to think of something.

Today was the day he was going to take all the members to the Seven Tail's location, to observe it's routine, then run over the final plan before attacking it. But now…Kirei was sick. He wouldn't dare leave her in the base by herself, sick as a dog, yet he couldn't afford letting Itachi miss the observation of the Seven Tail. Ramada would need all the help he could get to make sure the capture went smoothly.

Despite Ramada's mask, Itachi knew the man was thinking by his pace. It was quick and frantic, his steps placed precariously, numbering out the same each way. 6 right, turn, 6 left, turn…. He waited for an answer.

"Here is my dilemma, Itachi-san," Ramada began, formulating a solution that he wasn't sure about. "I plan to use all the members today – minus Kirei-chan – to observe the Seven Tail and review the final plan before executing it later in the afternoon, maybe night." He began, still pacing as he spoke.

Itachi nodded, understanding so far.

"But, I dare not leave Kirei-chan alone in the base while she is sick. I would worry about her too much and that may compromise my ability to fight." Turning to Itachi, he stopped his pacing. "And yet, I cannot allow you to stay to take care of her. I need you with me."

Itachi thought for a moment, coming up with the same solution Ramada had thought of. "What about a doctor?" He asked.

Ramada remained still.

"We can bring one, man or woman, into the base. We will evaluate them, make sure they won't run and take care of Kirei and when we're done with them…" Taking his pointer finger, he moved it across his neck, signifying they'd kill the doctor when finished with them, just to make sure no information leaked.

Smiling beneath his mask, he hmmed. It was great to know his most prized member had come up with the same solution he had, telling Ramada that it was the right solution, even thought having someone come into the base was slightly dangerous. "Alright. I will finish preparations within the hour. Find a doctor who is willing to take care of my Kirei-chan." He commanded, watching as Itachi left the room.

Before completely leaving the room, Itachi glanced back at the older raven, seeing him go to Kirei's side, caressing her hand, kissing her forehead.

Although he hated how Ramada believed Kirei was his, he let it go, a small smirk coming onto his face.

He knew just the "doctor" to get.

* * *

Standing at the food table, but not eating, Hinata couldn't believe who had just teleported onto the grounds, blinking her eyes to make sure she was seeing right.

A few others were on the other side of the table, not able to see who was walking toward them at a quick pace, while others were still filming.

"What are you doing here?" She asked incredulously, clear eyes locked onto the elder Uchiha as he stepped up to the table.

"Where's Sasuke?" Itachi asked back, taking a glazed donut from the table, able to see all of the looks the others had given him. "I can't stay for long, I just need to speak with Sasuke." He told them, taking a few bites of the donut.

Nodding slightly, Hinata began to walk away toward the cameras where Sasuke would be. "I'll go get him."

He sighed and shoved the rest of the donut in his mouth, looking at all the strange looks he got. "What? I didn't have breakfast this morning." He mumbled, mouth still quite full.

Sakura arched an eyebrow, smiling slightly at the Uchiha. She wondered how the two brother's could be related.

Walking up with Hinata, Sasuke's jaw dropped slightly, eyes widening a little bit when he saw his brother wolfing down donuts. Itachi wasn't supposed to be here for another week or so… and that could only mean that something was wrong. "What's going on, Itachi?" He asked, surprised that Itachi was reaching for yet another donut.

Using his head because his mouth was full, he nodded to the right, signifying that he didn't want to talk in front of the others.

"Alright…" Sasuke said, leading his brother away from the rest of the group, shrugging his shoulders to them when they tried to ask what was going on. He was just as confused as they were.

Deeming they were far enough away, Itachi stopped, taking another bite of the donut in his mouth, chewing and swallowing it before speaking. "I didn't know who else to come to," Itachi began, watching as his little brother ruffled his brows. "But I need you to come to the Base for a while."

His brows stayed ruffled, mouth opening just slightly. "Wha – "

"Kirei's sick." He said, clearing up most of the confusion for his sibling. "And – "

"Let me guess," Sasuke interrupted, knowing what the blonde was like when she was sick. "She refuses any medicine, she won't sleep and she's stopped eating?" With the astonished look on his brother's face, Sasuke deemed that as a dead on "yes".

"I don't know how to help her. All she wants to do is sleep and we're all leaving the base today." Itachi informed, making sure to keep the details of the plan in his mind instead of in words. "Ramada won't leave her by herself and he's asked me to get a doctor."

"I'm not a doctor." Sasuke stated flatly.

Itachi sighed. "I know that. I was hoping we could talk to Sakura, since she knows the doctors at Konoha Hospital and let you transform into one of them. That way, when Ramada checks "your" background, he'll find a full background about medicine and stuff." He explained.

Arching an eyebrow, Sasuke couldn't believe what just came from his brother's mouth. "And stuff?" He asked back, wondering just how much sleep Itachi'd gotten over the past week. "Sakura," He called, turning his head to look at the food table, to his pink haired friend. "Could you come over here for a minute?"

She tilted her head at the two Uchiha's, wondering what they were talking about, but at Sasuke's beckoning, she nodded, walking over. "Uh…sure…what's up?"

"Should I explain, or you?" Sasuke asked his brother. When he found the other half of the donut in his brother's mouth, he decided it would be better if he explained. "You see, Sakura…Kirei's sick, the members of the base are leaving and they need someone to take care of her. The only way I can get in is by transforming into a doctor from the hospital. We were hoping you might know a few, just so that the Leader won't suspect something when he checks "my" background." He explained, watching how emerald eyes looked up into the sky, thinking.

She sighed first. "Well, do you need someone with really good credentials?"

Itachi nodded, mouth still somewhat full. "It would be a good idea."

"Okay then." She looked up again, still thinking. "Yumigari Kato. He's an amazing doctor with amazing credentials." Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a small pink wallet, opening it to the small photo book within it. "Um," She flipped through it, coming to the doctor's photo. "Right here."

Sasuke took the wallet from her as she handed it to him, looking at the man in the photo. He was about as tall as Itachi, maybe a little shorter, natural black hair slicked black until it turned downward, black fading into red spikes that brushed his shoulders. His eyes were a light auburn color, his smile giving off a very warm appearance.

"Would you be able to get a model of his head?" Itachi asked Sakura, watching as his brother examined the photo better.

"Because you have to kill the doctor when you're done with him?" She asked back, knowing how the Akatsuki worked thanks to the show. She already knew the fake Akatsuki was based upon the original, so they must've done things similar.

He nodded.

"I'm sure he'll be happy to help." She smiled. "I can teleport over during lunch and have one made up for you."

"Thanks for your help, Sakura." He smiled back, finishing the last of the donuts he stole.

Still smiling, she nodded. "No problem. I'm happy to help." Her smile widened when the smoke from Sasuke's transformation cleared, showing the doctor instead of Sasuke.

"Good enough?" He asked, knowing that a transformation usually worked better when the person/item was within full 3-Dimensional view, instead of just a photo.

"Yeah," Sakura began, looking him over while taking back her wallet. "He has a tendency to crack his neck a lot…it's stated in his profile, just in case the Leader checks on it."

He nodded, twisting his neck to crack it. "Thanks, Sakura. I'll be back sometime later."

She laughed slightly, knowing the director would be upset when he found out that Sasuke just up and left the grounds. "Go on, she needs you."

Both brothers nodded, smiling as they vanished in poofs of smoke.

Shaking her head, she turned, putting her wallet back in her pocket as she walked back to the table, finding curious eyes on hers.

"What was that all about? And where did Sasuke go?" Hinata asked, wondering what all the smiles were about, eyes flickering to the director, who began to throw a slight fit when Sasuke didn't return.

"Oh," The pink haired girl began, closing her eyes as she reached for one of the donuts spared by Itachi. "It's nothing. Just two very odd brothers."

Kiba scoffed. "We could've told you that."

* * *

Making sure his brother walked in front of him, Itachi maneuvered his brother through the Akatsuki kitchen, down the hallway of their bedrooms and straight to the Leader's office.

"Don't say anything until – "

"Spoken to." Sasuke finished, wondering why his brother was so nervous. "Don't worry, Itachi, I'll be fine." He assured.

"It's bad enough that Kirei and I are here, I don't need something to happen to you too." Itachi shot back as he stepped beside his brother, knocking on the Leader's door. "Yumigari Kato. Remember that."

Sasuke nodded, making sure to crack his neck every once in a while.

"And look a little nervous." He added, knowing that someone brought to an Akatsuki base would not be smiling or even happy.

"You may proceed, Itachi-san." Ramada began, wondering who Itachi had brought to take care of his love, shuffling some of the papers in his hands so that it formed neat piles instead of the mess he'd had earlier.

"Just follow me." Itachi told his brother, glancing back slightly to check on him. Finding that his brother looked slightly nervous, his transformation still perfect, he opened the door and made him walk first, then went in himself.

Sasuke tried his hardest not to ball his hands into fists, not scrunch his face and growl at the man in the purple mask, sitting behind the desk in the center of the room.

"And who is this?" Ramada asked, beckoning the two to sit in the chairs near them.

"His name is Yumigari Kato, from Konoha Hospital." Itachi informed, taking his seat first, motioning to his brother to sit. Despite his stoic face, Itachi was anything but stoic. Butterflies were torturing his stomach.

Ramada raised an eyebrow, directing his sight toward the doctor. "Konoha? Why Konoha?" He asked, questioning if this was a real doctor.

Itachi gulped silently. "It's simple, really. Konoha Hospital is known to have the best doctors and health care. I thought that even though she isn't allowed near anyone from Konoha, we should get the best doctor available."

The Leader hmmed for a moment, nodding slightly afterward. "Yes, I see your point. I do want the best for my Kirei-chan."

Sasuke resisted growling. No one dared called her "my Kirei" unless it was him.

"Dr. Yumigari," Ramada addressed, looking to the black and red haired doctor, examining the man. "Would you allow me to check your background before tending to my Kirei-chan?"

"O-of c-course." Sasuke answered, using his acting ability to act nervous although he wished he could maim the Leader.

The elder black haired main chuckled. "No need to be nervous, Doctor. We plan to be leaving for most of the day."

Nodding hesitantly, Sasuke watched as the man pulled out yet another stack of papers from the desk, reading through them rather quickly. "I see…"

A few minutes of silence passed before Ramada set down the stack of papers, tension strewn throughout the room.

"Your background is quite impressive doctor." The purple-masked man said, looking directly at the doctor, waiting for something stated in the profile given to him by Daidera.

Cracking his neck, Sasuke nodded. "Th-thank you, sir."

"Itachi-san, you may take him to Kirei-chan. I will stay and finish out my plans. Be ready to leave within the next 5 minutes." He nodded to Itachi and the doctor, signaling that they were allowed to get up and leave the room.

Bowing to the Leader before leaving the room completely, Itachi nodded. "Thank you, sir."

Sasuke followed Itachi's lead, bowing the man he despised. He found that he was supposed to leave the room first, seeing his brother open the door and then close the door behind him.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Itachi was absolutely thankful that Ramada didn't ask anything more of the "doctor". "This way," He began, walking down the hallway to the first door on their right. "We're right here."

"This close?" Sasuke asked, seeing Itachi unlock the door and open it.

The elder Uchiha nodded, letting his brother go inside first. "Yeah, Ramada wanted her close to protect her." He answered, leaving the door open. He'd be leaving momentarily anyway. "Now, I'll be heading back before the others, to protect her from any…stray members, so when I come back, be ready to leave. Understand?"

"Yeah." Sasuke nodded, wondering where Kirei was, trying to look further in the room to find her.

Shaking his head at his brother's impatience, Itachi smiled. "Don't worry, she's just inside, sleeping, I think." He was just about to set his hand on his brother's head, but when he shied away, he laughed, grabbing his cloak and put it on. "Just make her better, okay?"

He nodded, watching as his brother departed from the room, Ramada following just after, although he stopped at the doorway.

"Dr. Yumigari, I understand that a doctor of your high expertise will be able to heal my Kirei-chan easily, but if I find her harmed in any way, or that you have tried to escape, I will kill you with no hesitation. Do I make myself clear?" Ramada told him in a very low, very serious voice.

Doing his best to act nervous once more, he nodded. "Y-yes, sir. I will do my very best to make sure she is healthy by the time you return." He answered.

"Good." He nodded. "Good day to you."

"And you." Sasuke replied, watching as Ramada closed the door and locked it, making sure that the good doctor wouldn't be able to get out. Even though, Sasuke didn't mind. He wouldn't leave the room anyway.

* * *

Lying in her bed with the most horrible headache she could imagine, her whole body dying of heat, Kirei could hear shuffling within the room.

And Itachi never shuffled.

Mustering up what voice she still had, she turned her head toward the door, where she'd heard the sound. "…who's there?" She opened her tired eyes slightly, seeing someone unfamiliar coming over to her. "Who are you?" She breathed, trying to breathe through her mouth and speak at the same time since her nose was all clogged up.

"No need to worry, I'm here to take care of you," The man answered her, crouching down next to the bed, right beside her, looking straight into drained blue eyes. "Princess."

Even with a foggy, nearly delirious mind, Kirei knew only one person who called her Princess.

Releasing the Transformation Jutsu, light auburn eyes turned into dark onyx eyes, a smile crossed the Uchiha's lips as pale blue eyes examined him.

For once in her life, Kirei felt her heart torn in two ways, staring into those deep black eyes she loved. In one way, it was everything she'd wished for; for Sasuke to be here with her, to lessen the heartache. In another way, it wasn't what she wished for; for Ramada to find out that it wasn't who he thought it was, that it was Sasuke who was here.

And that, she knew, would result in something she never, ever wanted: His death.

"It's okay now," Sasuke began, not sure of what to make of her silence. "I'll take care of you." Still smiling, he leaned over, wanting to kiss his blonde's forehead, but found that she was pushing away.

With what little strength she had, she set her hands on his chest, trying to push him away. "I don't want you here." She mumbled, closing her eyes and burrowing her face so that he couldn't see or kiss her. "You might get found out…" She finished, keeping her eyes shut tight, knowing that if she looked into his, she'd cave.

He found her behavior strange, yet justified. Didn't she want him here with her in the first place? Or was she worried that he was going to be found out by Ramada? "It's okay, I'll be – "

"Please," She began, nearly begging her love. "Just go home." She felt that tightness in her chest again, not ever realizing how hard it was to tell the one person you wanted to stay with you to leave.

His smiled faded as he sighed a heavy sigh, realizing his blonde was serious. "Okay then." And yet…Sasuke knew just how to get her to let him stay. "I'll go home, Kirei."

She felt him slip from her hands, missing how he said her name. Feeling a strange tug at her heart, she opened her blue eyes slightly, sight immediately locking upon the raven.

That tug turned into a jab when she saw the hurt look on his face as he walked toward the door.

His back facing her, that hurt looked turned into a slight smirk when he heard the rustling of sheets and covers, knowing full well that she was scrambling to get up to stop him.

What was odd was the sudden crash sound only a moment later.

"…wai…wait…" She spoke softly, sitting in a heap on the floor right beside the corner post of her bed, feeling very, very dizzy. Everything was spinning…

Turning to face her, his face changed once again, this time from smirk to worry. Seeing her eyes closed and her body moving slightly, almost as if the room were spinning, he rushed over to her side, kneeling beside her.

"…I'm…dizzy…" She mumbled, falling into his chest, not even realizing it was he who she fell on. She was too disoriented and dizzy to realize he had come back.

Looking down at his sick love, he slid an arm around her back, the other underneath her knees and very gently picked her up, making sure not to disorient her any more than she already was. "It's okay, Princess," He whispered, taking her back to her bed and setting her in it gently. "I won't leave you." He went back for the covers that'd fallen off when she fell off the bed, bringing them back to set over her.

She whimpered softly, headache slowly going away. Feeling the covers over her, she pulled them off just a little, allowing her body to stay cool. She took a deep breath, feeling someone push her bangs from her face, smiling just slightly.

Even from brushing her bangs away, he could tell her fever was high, seeing her flushed face, feeling her hot skin. "Anything I can get you, Princess?" He asked softly, knowing that loud sounds made a headache worse.

It took her a moment to answer, adjusting to using her mouth to breath. "…yeah…" She let her head roll toward him, opening her eyes slightly to look at him. "A shower."

His whole body froze, eyes fixing upon hers. Was she serious? She had to be. But…she couldn't of possibly meant taking a real shower with her…could she?

Watching her for a moment, seeing her eyes slip shut out of tiredness, he knew in his heart and mind that there was no way she meant in a perverted manner. Even with the pervert he was, he wouldn't dare take advantage of her while she was sick. "Alright, Kirei." He nodded, smiling slightly when she opened her eyes again. "I'll help you…but I think you should take a bath instead, since you're obviously too dizzy to stand."

Rolling on her side toward him, she nodded, not really caring one or the other. She just wanted him to be there. "Mmkay."

Wanting to tousle her hair as she snuggled into her bed, he pulled his hand away, banking on the fact that it might make her headache worse. "I'll go and start the water, okay?"

"Mm-hmm." She nodded once more. "I'll get my bathing suit."

At the mere mention of her getting up, he stopped her. "No, no, I'll get it for you." He didn't want her falling again. "Which drawer?"

She pointed to the bottom drawer of the dresser on her right, having to roll over slightly to point to it. "Thank you."

He went to where she had pointed, opening the drawer and rummaging through it, realizing that this drawer was her panty drawer. Taking a large sigh and gulping, he tried not to finger all of the expensive material…and get…bad thoughts…

Shaking those thoughts from his mind, he found what he was looking for, a black and red two piece. From the tags on it, he could tell that this was another expensive item, his mind wondering just how much Ramada showered her with stuff like this. At least he didn't need to shower her with gifts to get her love. "Here, Princess." Crouching next to the bed, he handed the bathing suit to her, watching her smile slip onto her face. "I'll be right back."

* * *

Minutes later, the tub was 3/4s of the way full of almost hot water when Sasuke shut it off, making sure that there were lots of towels within reach of where he'd be sitting. Walking out of the room, he went over to his blonde, finding that she was actually sitting up, wavering just slightly.

When he walked over, he found that the top part of her bikini was not tied, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I can't tie it." She mumbled, already feeling dizzy even though she was only sitting up.

Nevertheless, he smiled, sitting behind her on the bed and tying it for her. "Too tight?"

She shook her head, coming to realize that maybe she should've went with a "no" when her head began to ache again.

"It's alright," He said, knowing her head was probably aching again, keeping one hand behind her back while getting off the bed, other hand slipping under her knees. "You won't have to worry about falling over. Just hold on, okay?" He said softly, kneeling just enough for her to wrap her arms around his neck as he picked her up.

Gulping, she closed her eyes to spare her from seeing the room spin while he carried her into the bathroom. "I don't like being sick." She murmured, nuzzling his neck.

Chuckling slightly as he entered the bathroom, he replied, "Well then, you should eat something more than junk food. Like vegetables and frui – "

"…you know I hate those things…." She said back, voice cracking as she felt her toes dip into perfectly warm water. The rest of her body followed slowly. "…I love my junk food."

He nodded, taking the hand under her knees away first, letting them slip to the full length of the tub, keeping his hand behind her back to make sure she didn't slip the whole way under, kneeling beside the tub. "And that's why you get sick so much and get so sick. You don't get any vitamins." He replied, noticing how deep her breathing got when her chest slipped under the water. He knew for a fact that it was oddly strange to be in a tub when you had a cold, but also knew that it helped breathing.

She didn't have a retort for him, closing her eyes and sighing through her nose, able to feel it slowly clearing up.

He watched her, wondering if he'd be able to take the hand supporting her back away without her slipping under water. "Will you be alright if I take my hand back?" He asked softly, seeing her eyes flutter open slightly.

"…yeah…" She answered, not realizing that he was still supporting her.

With her confirmation, although it wasn't exactly reassuring, he let his hand slip away slowly, turning slightly to reach the cup he'd set aside so that it would be easier to wash hair. It wasn't long before he caught her slipping under from the corner of his eye, frantically throwing the cup aside, reaching into the water and setting his hands upon her waist, pulling her up.

She sputtered, trying to get all the water out of her nose and mouth so that she could breath, her bangs matted over her eyes. "S-sorry…" She tried to say, her voice cracking as he held her up with one hand and cleared her bangs from her face with the other. "I slipped…"

"It's okay," He sighed, happy that she was still breathing, still okay. "Just hold onto the side of the tub, Princess. That way, you can hold onto something if you start slipping again."

"I can't hold onto you?" She asked in her childlike voice, looking up at him with big blue eyes.

How he missed her childlike voice, unable to tear his eyes away from hers as he sat on the floor, hand still trying to grasp the cup he'd discarded. "I think it'll be safer if you hold onto the tub for now."

"Awww…" She mumbled sadly, finally tearing her eyes away while setting both arms on the lip of the tub, putting her head on them.

A smile crossed his lips as he shook his head slightly, finding the cup he was looking for. "At least your hair's already wet."

* * *

For the next half hour Sasuke helped his blonde, shampooing and conditioning her hair for her while avoiding getting splashed because, unlike her, he only had one set of clothes with him.

Even though she seemed to be much better, able to breath through her nose and her voice not as scratchy as before, he knew it wouldn't be long before her symptoms came back.

"Time to get out." He told her, watching as she sniffled, blinking the water from her eyes. Like how he helped her in, he helped her out, using her hands as leverage to help her stand. Holding her steady with one hand while reaching for a towel with the other, he wrapped it around her body, noticing how she wavered slightly.

"…dizzy again…" She began, leaning against him and closing her eyes, hoping to stop the spinning. "…Sit down…?"

Although she was sick, she sure was adorable. "Yes, you can sit." He picked her up and out of the tub, maneuvered her to the only rug in the bathroom before letting her sit down, taking yet another towel and setting it upon her head.

"Ummah," She mumbled, wondering why he'd set it on her head. It became apparent when he started massaging her head that he was drying off her hair. "Bedtime."

It was a good thing Sasuke knew how Kirei spoke. "I know you're sleepy, Princess," He told her, kneeling behind her, still drying her hair gently with the towel. "But if you go to bed with wet hair, you'll get sicker."

She whimpered slightly, his hand pressing a little too much, head moving with his hands. "Sorry…I know I'm – "

"You're absolutely fine, Kirei." He cut her off, knowing what she was going to say. "Just stay right here for me."

She nodded, not even bothering to open her eyes to watching him even though she didn't know what he was doing. She didn't have to know; her trust with him was greater than needing to know what he was doing.

What he was getting was a hair dryer within one of the drawers of the bathroom cabinet, allowing him to dry her hair fast and without hurting her. Plugging it in, he sat behind her, turning it on and then turning it toward her hair, using his fingers to comb through it gently, trying not to tug at knots. "If I hurt you, let me know." He told her while he set the hair dyer off to the side, trying to untangle a knot he'd found.

"Mm-mm." She answered, eyes closed, not really listening.

He knew she wasn't listening, chuckling just a little bit. Despite her hair being wet, he planted a light kiss on the back of her head. "I love you, Princess."

"I love you, too, Prince." She answered back quickly.

He chuckled even more, knowing she'd hear that statement. Sighing as he continued with the knot, he wondered how he'd gotten along without her so far.

* * *

"Kirei, you've got to take something." Sasuke began, looking at his blonde while she laid in her bed, loving how her hair was no longer greasy, but silky and how her pajamas were brand new from the drawer. It was apparent that she felt much better.

She shook her head at him, taking the covers and pulling them over her head, not caring that it was already hard to breath since her nose had clogged up again. "No…I don't like medicine…you know that…"

He sighed, looking at what was his love's head, waiting in silence until she removed the covers. When after a few minutes she didn't, he sat on the bed next to her, feeling the sheets tighten beneath him. "Would you take it for me?" He asked, almost begging her. "I mean…I'm only here for a little bit…I don't want to have to go home and worry about you."

Feeling her fever and hot skin return from hiding under the blanket, she couldn't deny him. "…fine…but only for you…" She tore the blankets off of her, happy to feel the cold air rush over her hot skin.

Setting a hand on her head, gently brushing away her bags, he leaned over her, going to kiss her forehead until he felt something pressing at his chest, holding him back.

Her hands were once again placed on his chest, preventing him from kissing her at all, as she shied away from him, eyes closed. "No… I don't want you to get sick…"

"I won't," He answered, taking both her hands upon his chest into his free hand, massaging the both of them. "Unlike you, I eat healthy foods." Keeping her hands in his one, he kissed her forehead gently. "I'll be right back."

She kept her hands with his until they slipped, allowing him to get the medicine from the bathroom cabinet. In truth, she wanted to kiss him, wanted to be kissed by him, but she wouldn't risk his health for that.

Coming back with the bottle and plastic measuring cup, he sat next to her on the bed, opening the bottle as he set the cup on the nightstand, pouring the cherry smelling liquid to the required amount prescribed on the bottle. "Okay, Princess, I need you to sit up."

Keeping her eyes closed, she complied, sitting up as best she could with her dizziness. "I hate this stuff…" She mumbled, taking the small cup from his hands, although his never left her hands, making sure she didn't drop the cup or spill it on her pajama's. She sighed, holding her breath as she took it, sticking her tongue out after she swallowed.

"Good girl," He joked, patting her head gently. "Now you can take a nap." He took the cup from her hands, putting it back on the nightstand.

Lying back on her bed, snuggling into it as she always did, she rolled to face him, letting her fingers find his hand and caress it. "…will you stay…?" She asked, letting out a small yawn, eyes closing out of tiredness. It wasn't the medicine that made her tired – not yet at least – but the fact that she'd already been tired before all this happened.

He smiled, picking up the hand that hers held, letting it cup her cheek gently and then rake through her hair softly. "I'll stay right here." He answered in a whisper, watching as her breathing eased, a small sigh telling him she was content. Leaning down once more, he kissed her lightly on the lips, missing the softness and sweetness they held. "Good night, Princess."

* * *

He wasn't sure how much time had passed, maybe 5 minutes before he took a deep breath, feeling his eyelids become heavy, still watching his sleeping blonde, his hand running through her hair at an even pace. "Oh, what the hell," He began, pulling what sheets were on Kirei back, allowing him to slip his feet in. "I might as well get some sleep while I'm here." Moving her over slightly so that he wasn't close to the edge on the small bed, he laid his head on her fluffy pillow, wrapping his arms around her small waist to bring her close to him, sighing silently in content.

Even in a deep sleep, she nuzzled into his chest, happy beyond words to be in his arms, to be with him.

Eyes closed, he wondered if she was really asleep although he didn't care. He buried his face within her hair, taking a deep breath.

As of the moment, there wasn't a care in the world. It was just the two of them.

Together.

* * *

Wiping sweat from his brow, Itachi unlocked the door to his room in the base, immediately taking notice of the silence within the room.

"I bet they're sleeping…" He mumbled, taking his new cloak off and hanging it upon the jacket rack on the wall, since Kirei still had his old one.

Everything with the Seven Tail had gone almost as planned, or at least, how Ramada had planned it. They had waited until sunset, which was approximately 5 hours, watching the Seven Tail and how she reacted to everything; Even Itachi had to admit, when he first watched it's routine, he knew the capture wouldn't be easy.

Kuzaku was the only one seriously injured, although it wasn't a big deal. He could be healed when Ramada and the rest of the Akatsuki arrived in about 10 minutes. Itachi was sent back ahead of everyone else just to make sure that Kirei and the good Doctor didn't get too curious about the new "recruit".

All this gave Itachi enough time to sit and talk with his brother.

…If his brother wasn't asleep with Kirei on her bed.

Shaking his head at the both of them, Sasuke's face buried in the top of her head, her face completely buried in his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, hers resting gently on his chest, they were dead asleep.

What really shocked Itachi was the empty cup of medicine and the partly depleted medicine bottle sitting on the nightstand next to them. How in all hell did Sasuke manage to get Kirei to even look at that stuff?! He'd tried for days to get her to take the stuff, but she just wouldn't budge.

With a sigh and a smile, he turned right back around, allowing them to sleep for just a little longer, heading into the bathroom to wash all the sweat from his face.

* * *

"Sasuke, come on, time to get up." Itachi hissed softly, trying to shake his brother awake without waking Kirei. He wasn't sure how long they had been asleep, but Itachi guessed it was most of the time he was gone.

Unlike how he'd always woke before, Sasuke awoke slowly, not even sure of where he was until he smelled something very familiar to him. He recognized Kirei's hair right away, smiling at the still sleeping blonde and gently kissing the top of her head.

"Glad to see you're awake."

Moving ever so slight as to not disturb his blonde, even though he doubted he could wake her, he turned slightly, seeing his brother looking back at him with a goofy smile. "You're back." Was all he could say.

Itachi coming back meant that he had to leave.

The elder raven nodded. "Yep. I think it's time for Yumigari Kato to make his return so Ramada doesn't kill you."

"Yeah, I know." Sasuke answered solemnly, turning his attention back to his Princess. He wanted to watch her sleep for only a moment more, wondering what she was dreaming about with the smile on her face and how she continuously nuzzled his chest.

After a minute or two passed, he removed her hands from his shirt, trying his best to move out of the bed without waking her up. Once that was accomplished, he tucked her back in, brushing her bangs away and kissing her forehead one last time.

She sighed in her sleep, snuggling against her pillow.

"I'm still not exactly sure how you got her to take something." Itachi stated softly as Sasuke transformed back into the doctor.

Shrugging his shoulders, he shook his head to wake up before Ramada found his way into the room. "It wasn't hard; I just asked her to take it for me."

Tilting his head at his little brother, a small smile slipped onto his lips, making a note in his brain to use Sasuke as a reason to get her to take more later. "I see. I'll have to remember – "

Both brothers looked at the door, hearing a rather large crash of what sounded like thunder coming from somewhere within the base.

Sasuke narrowed his eyebrows when he looked at his brother, seeing a slightly worried look on his face. "What the hell was that?"

Gulping, Itachi let out a small sigh when the base returned to silence. "It's better if you don't know. But," He said, voice soft. "When I take you back to Konoha, go straight to Minato and tell him this,"

Not knowing what was going on, the younger raven could tell that it wasn't something to shrug off or not take seriously, seeing the grave look in his brother's eyes.

"Ramada has his dog."

Sasuke's brows remained ruffled. "That doesn't make any sense." Although somehow, he knew it was a secret code that only the Yondaime would be able to decipher.

"Maybe not to you." Walking over, he set his hands on his brother's shoulders, looking into those honey auburn eyes to make sure Sasuke was listening. "I know you guys don't know what's going on, but it's better that you don't, okay? Go straight to Minato and tell him that. Don't stop for ramen or head – "

"Okay, okay, I get it." Sasuke cut off, nodding his head, shaking his brother's hands from his shoulders. "It's important."

Smiling, he patted his brothers head, ignoring the growls and snarls of protest. "Good boy."

The moment didn't last long – which Sasuke was thankful for – as the door to the room opened, a disheveled Ramada walked in, sighing heavily. "Ah, Dr. Yumigari," He began with his usual happy voice, looking expectantly at the doctor. He also spied Kirei sleeping in her bed. "I assume things went well."

Standing next to his brother, Sasuke cracked his neck, nodding. "Yes. Watching her for a few moments, along with asking her a few questions allowed me to determine that she had a simple cold…sir." He said, trying his best to word it how a doctor would speak.

He arched an eyebrow at the doctor. "Yes, but don't colds usually last only a few days, not a week or so?" He asked back.

"In most cases," Sasuke began, keeping his calm. "yes, colds don't last that long. Although, I found that Kirei-chan," He found a shiver running through him, not used to referring to his love in such a strange way. "doesn't eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. She eats mostly junk which prevents her from getting the vitamins that help prevent and get rid of colds, along with other illnesses."

Well, that made sense. Kirei did have a bit of a sweet tooth. "And she will get better?"

"Of course." The doctor smiled. "As long as she continues to take her medicine," He moved out of the way, allowing the Leader to see the bottle of red medicine on the nightstand. "In which I have instructed Itachi-san," Once again, Sasuke found it so weird to be calling his brother "Itachi-san". "on how to get her to take it without protestation. She will be well within the next few days."

A large grin taking the Leader's face, he was very happy with the doctor's performance. He was able to diagnose Kirei easily, find the root of the problem and give a solution that would allow her to be well very soon. "Itachi-san, please escort Dr. Yumigari back home."

"Home, sir?" Itachi questioned, knowing he was "supposed" to "kill" the good doctor after his work here.

Ramada nodded to his subordinate. "Yes, Itachi-san. I am thoroughly pleased with the doctors' work and have chosen to let him go on the condition he will be willing to come back, in case Kirei-chan gets sick once more, and that he will keep all he's witnessed and heard under wraps." The leader brought a stern glare to the doctor. "Or else, we will hunt you down and kill you."

"Of course," Sasuke replied, nodding his head quickly, trying to convey a sense of nervousness. "I won't tell a soul."

"Great. Good day to you, Doctor." He finished, walking past the both of them to his blonde, his love.

Sasuke watched, silent as ever, fists balling and teeth gritting silently as the man who kidnapped his blonde sat next to her, holding her hands and brushing her hair away from her face. He nearly attacked the man when he kissed her forehead; something Sasuke and only Sasuke was allowed to do.

Thankfully, Itachi held him back, figuring something of the sort would happen. "Come on," He mouthed, yanking his brother away. "Let's go."

Even with his brother pulling him away, Sasuke couldn't help but snarl and want to kill the man who kissed his sleeping blonde, watching her sleep peacefully thanks to the medicine he'd given her.

That was _**his**_ blonde that man was kissing.

His and no one else's.

* * *

Knocking before entered, Sasuke looked around, wondering where Naruto was. He'd always been at the manor whenever the raven arrived, happy to scream a hello and slam his back like he was patting it.

"Come on in." The Yondaime answered in his usual calm tone, wondering who was there. It couldn't've been Naruto, seeing as how he was spending the night at Hinata's and Itachi was due back for a few weeks.

"Hey, Minato." Sasuke said as he walked inside the office, shutting the door behind him quietly, taking a seat in one of the two chairs always inside the small, cluttered room.

A smile taking his face, he was surprised to see Sasuke walk in. "I wasn't expecting you." He said, his mind telling him that if it was Naruto or Itachi, it must've been Sasuke.

"Yeah," He nodded. "I know. I was actually with Itachi just a few moments ago."

Looking at the new stack of mission reports, the Yondaime's smile grew just a little bit. "Yes, I heard about your "doctor" escapade from Sakura. Kirei's alright, then?"

"Just a cold," Sasuke answered, shrugging his shoulders. "But something weird happened when Itachi and the rest of them got back…and Itachi told me to tell you that "Ramada has his dog."."

Immediately, blue eyes looked up to black, making sure he was serious, the pen in his hand stopping all movement. "Are you absolutely sure?" He spoke after a moment of silence, keeping his voice soft. He didn't want to seem alarmed, but he wanted to convey seriousness.

Sasuke wondered why it was such a big deal, Ramada getting his dog. Nevertheless, he nodded. "Yes. He told me to come straight to you and tell you."

"Alright." Minato sighed heavily, returning his eyes to his desk, leaning back in his chair. "Go on home, Sasuke. Thanks."

Rising from his seat, he smiled slightly. "No problem, Minato. I'll see you later." He vanished from the room with a yawn, deciding that his bed was a nice place to go. He was still sleepy from taking that nap with Kirei.

Back in the Hokage's office, Minato stared at the reports in front of him, eyes not focused on the words written.

He was too busy trying to figure out what to do now that the Seven Tail was in Akatsuki's hands. Unfortunately, nothing was coming to mind.


	23. Biju

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD

_Notes: _It's been quite some time, hasn't it? xD Yeah, I'm a procrastinator. And a senior. So...i've got a lot to do. And lucky you guys, only 2 more chapters to go!! And then the sequel, which is coming along, slowly but surely. I'll have information on the sequel posted as soon as The Actors is finished. Anyway, I hope your lives are going well! :D Enjoy.

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!!

* * *

_Chapter 23 – Biju_

* * *

Sighing happily even though the room was cold, Kirei downed the rest of her still quite warm chocolate milk, licking off the excess from her top lip.

She was currently sitting in the base, still wrapped up in Itachi's cloak, waiting for someone to return. Everyone in the base, even Itachi had a mission today, leaving her to fend for herself – the reason why she was able to make hot chocolate and not worry about other members disturbing her – but also left her extremely bored.

All of her colored pencils were too worn down to sharpen, but they were no use anyway; her sketchbook was completely full anyway. She'd listened to all of her CDs so many times that they couldn't hold her attention anymore. There was just nothing to do, nothing at all.

Slowly, ever so slowly, her mind began to wander, her eyes following suit, landing on the door that led to the rest of the base. She wasn't really alone, was she? The Seven Tail was in the base, wasn't it?

Shaking her head, she knew better than to go searching for the Seven Tail. It could lash out and kill her or…well, it could be friendly. Especially since Kirei didn't really pose a threat to anything.

Curiosity overwhelming the very bored blonde, she got up, setting the empty cup on the desk as she left her room, going out in search of something to do.

* * *

Despite the base being eerily silent, Kirei knew where the Seven Tail was, able to hear something moving as she poked her head down an unfamiliar hallway, making sure no one had suddenly come home.

When she spied no one, she walked down the hall slowly, searching for which door held the person who might be able to entertain her.

Even though each door looked exactly the same, she found that it was the third on her right, in the near middle of the hallway. As she jiggled the knob, seeing if it was locked, she heard the scuffling inside stop and knew that this was the Seven Tail's room.

It was strange that the door was unlocked, Kirei opening it just slightly, letting her voice enter the room first. "Um…Are you the Seven Tail?" She asked with a soft voice, still hearing no sound from inside.

Chained up rather well on the back wall of the dark room penetrated by the light of the barely opened door, the green haired girl looked up, red eyes blinking to adjust to the light. She was surprised to hear a girl's voice within Akatsuki, able to tell that all of the members who had taken her were gone. "Yes," She spoke, keeping her voice soft as well. "I am. Who are you?"

To Kirei, this girl seemed very nice. She hadn't gone crazy and attacked her, like she thought would happen and risked opening the door further, allowing her to poke her head in. "My name's Kirei…I, uh, "live" here, I guess." She squinted her eyes, unable to see in such a dark room.

The Seven Tail had the same problem, unable to make out Kirei's features from the blinding light behind her. Tilting her head at her statement, she asked, "So, you are a member of the dreaded Akatsuki as well?" If she was, no matter if the girl was armed or not, she would attack. No one captured her and got away with it.

Opening the door wider, allowing more of her to be shown, the blonde shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I was kidnapped…like you were…but I guess you could say I am…"

Writhing her lip in absolute anger, the Seven Tail took a deep breath, glaring at the girl across from her. She'd made the wrong choice to mess with someone as powerful as her.

* * *

Ramada found it strange when he arrived back home, finding that his love's door was open. What was stranger was that there was no blonde inside.

"Where has she gotten to now?" He asked himself, knowing that Kirei had gone out of her own free will and was not worried in the slightest. It wouldn't be hard to find her before all the other members get back, although, weren't Itachi and Daidera due back soon?

Yes. They were supposed to help him with the –

"Oh god." He said, eyes going wide as he realized that Kirei, the girl he risked everything for, the girl he loved must've sought the attention of the Seven Tail.

Rushing out the room and down the hall, he took the shortest route to the captured Biju's room, hoping with all his heart that he arrived before anything happened to the girl he loved.

* * *

Turning down the hallway Kirei had only minutes before, Ramada's eyes locked squarely on the still standing, uninjured blonde in the doorway of the Biju's room, a small, silent sigh escaping his mouth. His heart seemed to lighten a bit, given the situation, making him feel just a little better knowing that she was still okay.

That feeling did not last long.

He watched in absolute horror as Kirei's eyes went wide, gasping in shock as she tried to move her arms over her face instinctively, trying to protect herself.

Something emerged from the dark abyss of the room and moved so fast that Kirei hadn't even moved her arms before it attacked, cutting and tearing all the way through her clothes and skin, reaching the white bones within her body and face.

The force of the attack was so great that it caused her blood spurt out and sent her flying into the opposite wall, making Kirei screaming out in pain as she hit the wall with enough strength to crack the wooden wall slightly. Her body slid down the wall slowly, staining the wood with her blood as she hit the ground with a thump, letting out a whimper of pain and then passing out.

When he finally reached her, Ramada shut the door that held the Seven Tail and locked it, turning quickly to his love, gulping as he saw her. "It's okay, Kirei, it's okay." He spoke, kneeling beside her and removing his mask to make sure this was all real.

Every piece of her body had been cut by whatever it was, some parts bleeding quickly, other's not so much. Not even her face had been spared, forehead bleeding profusely as she gasped for breath, somehow knowing her lungs had been punctured.

Picking her up with severe gentleness, Ramada teleported her back to her room, hoping to god that Daidera had returned. He could use Medic-Nin techniques, but not to the extent that she could.

Even he knew, with what healing he could give, if she wasn't healed by Daidera, Kirei would die.

* * *

Looking at each other, Itachi and Daidera wondered where their Leader was, since he wasn't in his office. He always was in that room, waiting for them when they returned, waiting for their report.

"Do you smell that?" The platinum blonde asked, smelling a very faint whiff of blood and boy, was it a lot of blood.

"Smell what?" Itachi asked back, following his "partner" as she left the office, dropping the mission report within her hand. From what he could tell, there was nothing on the air. Sure, there was a strange, very tiny whiff of something, but it wasn't anything to be alarmed about…was it?

"Blood." She answered, following her well trained nose as she led the Uchiha into Kirei's room, both seeing the large trail of blood on the ground, leading them to a sight that made both of them gasp in shock and horror.

Kirei was laying on the floor in a pool of her own blood, cuts on every part of her body and face, staining the wood, her clothes and her hair while Ramada was hovering over her, trying his best to heal her in the state of shock he was in.

"Dear god, what happened?!" Daidera asked as she ran to Kirei's side, kneeling down and beginning to heal some of the poor girl's wounds.

Even with her healing, he continued his work on smaller cuts, whipping away some sweat from his brow first as he panted. "I came home…and she was with the Seven Tail…trying to…entertain herself…" He spoke in gasps, frantically looking over his passed out blonde. "and it attacked her…I rushed her here…tried to heal her…"

"It's okay, Leader, sir," Daidera spoke in a calm voice, knowing her "nii-san" was worried about her, but as long as she had enough chakra, she wouldn't let Kirei die. "She's going to be fine." She tried to assure him.

Itachi stood stark still in his spot, staring blankly at Kirei's blood stained face. Shock wasn't enough to describe how he was feeling. The only think he could think was that it was a very good thing Sasuke wasn't here.

Very slowly he moved his feet, allowing himself to come closer to the blonde who'd become his little sister, jumping over Daidera to sit at her head, hoping to spare some of her hair from the blood it was already in.

It took a few minutes, but all three could see some life coming back into the blonde lying on the floor, her nearly white skin starting to regain it's usual shade of light tan while her shut eyes began to move slowly, not yet opening.

Ramada had since stopped his healing for fear of passing out himself, holding his blonde's hand tightly, not caring that he was basically drenched in her blood. A faint trace of a smile came onto his lips as he saw those blue eyes open slightly, blinking slowly and looking around. "Thank god…" He mumbled.

Kirei's mind was fuzzy and foggy, looking around the room. Her sight was so blurry it obscured everything she saw, even though she could make out Itachi's face above her, trying to smile just a bit. She found that her muscles didn't work quite as well as normal, but still tried to smile.

"It's okay," Ramada began, seeing that smile, caressing her hand gently. "I'm here, love." Seeing those eyes made him sigh in relief as he still panted, confirming that she was definitely alive.

Healing one of the last large cuts on Kirei's small body, Daidera sighed heavily out of tiredness. "It might take a while for her skin color to come back, along with moving in general…but she'll be just fine."

"Thank you, Daidera." Ramada said softly, keeping his eyes square with pale blue eyes. "May I ask you to clean the wall near the Seven Tail's room? I assure you the door is locked and you will be unharmed…I just don't want her blood – "

She smiled, happy to help. "It'll be my pleasure, sire." Standing up shakily from loosing so much chakra, she left the room, taking a side trip to her own room to regain some of her energy before cleaning Kirei's blood off the walls.

"Itachi-san," He continued, watching as her eyes slipped shut, breathing somewhat hastened, although it was slowly evening out. "Would you help me change Kirei-chan out of these blood stained clothes, along with getting it all out of her hair?"

The raven nodded, his feeling and senses coming back as he was reassured that she was alive. "Yes, of course." He answered, not about to leave Kirei alone in Ramada's hands. He wouldn't allow the elder man to change her clothes by himself, let alone wash the blood off of her. He couldn't even think of what Ramada might do, even with what had just happened.

* * *

Half an hour passed before Kirei was set back on her bed gently, limbs prickling as blood returned to the newly healed muscles and skin.

The blood on the floor had been almost nearly removed, a faint circle outlining where the blood had sat for a while. The clothes she had been wearing were discarded and throw away, too marred and bloody to be worth saving, while her hair had been happily cleaned and dried.

Wanting to remain close to her in worry, Itachi sat next to her on her bed, Ramada taking the other side, taking her hand in his.

She looked between the two, trying to smile in the least bit, to convey to them that she was going to be fine. She knew her voice wasn't working quite yet, able to feel the scratchiness in her throat. Plus, she didn't feel up to speaking, her eyes quiet tired as well.

Itachi reached his hand out to brush away her bangs, but was stopped.

"Itachi-san," Ramada began, seeing his subordinate's hand reaching out, making it stop. "I know that Kirei-chan is near and dear to you, but I must ask you if I could get a few moments alone with her. I wish to say something that's been on my mind for quite a while." He said, taking a moment to glance at the Uchiha's face, wondering what he was thinking.

Itachi was hesitant to say yes, to leave her alone with Ramada – whose intentions toward her were still unknown – in the state she was in. Even though, as his "subordinate", there was no way he could refuse his "Leader". "Of course, Leader." Getting up slowly, he left her side despite the longing look in her eyes, telling him not to leave her alone. He gave her a small smirk, trying to convey that he wasn't leaving at all.

In truth, he wouldn't dare leave her alone. He had to find out what their "Leader's" intentions were toward her for the Yondaime to make an accurate plan, which made him leave the room but flash right back in silently, hiding himself from Ramada's chakra sense and sight.

Knowing he was in the room somewhere, Kirei drew her sight back to the man who said he loved her, who called her as such. When she tried to sit up, he didn't protest, like Sasuke would, but helped her sit up, still keeping her hand in his.

He started off with a sigh, letting tired eyes close momentarily. "I am so sorry I wasn't here to prevent all of this from happening, love." He began softly, caressing her hand slowly. "I shouldn't've left you alone here, like I have been recently. Times are getting busier around the base, as I'm sure you've taken notice of."

She nodded, confirming what he said.

"The Seven Tail and my plan takes up so much time that I haven't gotten a lot of spare time to spend with you. I take the blame for nearly killing you, Kirei." He said, not using the suffix he was so used to using, looking into almost pale blue eyes.

She stared back, not sure what to make of the look in burgundy eyes. She knew it wasn't lust or angry or even worry…it looked more like love, knowing the look from the one Sasuke always gave her.

Looking away from her, he continued his speech. "I know I've been neglecting you recently, but I swear I will make up for it. In a few weeks, I plan to harness the power of the Seven Tail and use it to attack and decimate Konoha."

She tried to stifle a gasp, knowing she couldn't protest. But how she wanted to protest. Konoha was her home, her life. Konoha held everything near and dear to Kirei and if it was gone…well…Kirei didn't know how she was going to live if everything she knew and loved was gone.

"And once I have done so, I will take over and rule the new village, using it's previous power to take over the rest of the country and then hopefully the world." He explained, still keeping his sight from her, while still petting her cold hand.

Oddly enough, Kirei felt like she was in an episode of Naruto, finding it strangely similar to the Akatsuki in the show. If she was in an episode, she thought, why hadn't someone called "Cut!" so long ago? Oh that's right. She wasn't in the show. This was real life.

"You must know," He continued, knowing the blonde's eyes were on him. "That ruling a country, let alone the world will be a very hard, lonely job."

Listening in, Itachi narrowed his eyes, having a sure feeling he knew where this was going. And boy, did he not like where this was going.

"So, Kirei-chan, I am telling you all of this for one thing; When, not if, I take over Konoha, I am going to marry you." Burgundy eyes came back to stare deeply into blue eyes, a smile placed upon his face.

Kirei wished someone would yell "Cut!" right now, her heart sinking deep into her chest, trying not to make it obvious that she did not want to be married to him, body tensing as much as it could in it's condition and without alerting him. She was only 18 for crying out loud! She had her own life to live, her own love waiting for her back home. Marriage was the last thing she wanted.

Itachi's lip twitched, not liking the statement from his "Leader". He was worried for Kirei, hoping that the coming events would lead away from marriage, but also angered because it wasn't like he _**asked**_ her to marry him. It was a statement, not a question.

"You will be beside me while I rule, basking in all the riches and glory, having only the best." He continued, still smiling. "When I saw you nearly dead today, I knew that I loved you; that I couldn't live without you. That's why I want to marry you, to have you with me until death do us part." He admitted to her, voice gaining power as he went.

Eyes becoming slightly teary, she nodded, hoping that her tears would be taken as a sign of "yes" instead of the horrible feeling she was actually feeling. She didn't want to marry someone she didn't know; someone she didn't love.

Seeing the tears on the brims of her eyes, Ramada felt his heart lift. It was as if she was telling him she was happy to marry him, that she was happy at all. He sighed a sigh of relief. "I love you so much, Kirei." Tentatively, he reached over, letting her hand slip as he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her gently. "And I will marry you when all of this is over."

She resisted the urge to break out into tears, pull away and run as far as she could.

Letting her go after a moment, he stood up, taking her hand in his again. "I will leave you to rest, to recover from your "wounds" and make preparations for the Seven Tail." Brushing back her bangs, he kissed her forehead, his heart light and happy despite what had happened. Not a moment more passed before he left the room, seeing a waiting Itachi leaning against the wall a few feet away. "Itachi-san?"

Picking up his head like he had been zoned out, he looked to the elder raven, wondering what he could want. "Yes, sir?" He pushed off the wall, coming to stand opposite of Ramada.

"I have filled Kirei-chan in our plans and some of my own, but I ask that you keep a closer eye on her than normal and make sure she gets rest. Especially after what happened today." He asked, smiling even more when the raven nod.

"Of course, sir." He responded, bowing to the Leader as he turned and walked away, heading into his office. Itachi on the other hand, went into his room, finding a very upset blonde staring back at him unhappily.

She whimpered slightly when she saw him, watching with blurry eyes as he sat next to her. "I don't want to get married." She spoke softly, voice cracking here and there, shaking her head slightly.

Tousling her hair to try to calm her down, he looked her dead in the eyes. "I won't let it happen, Kirei. Once your Uncle finds out, he'll come and save you."

Hand still on her head, she shook it, knowing that yes her uncle would come, but someone else was supposed to save her. "Sasuke will come and save me."

Letting out a small chuckle, Itachi nodded. "Yes, he will too." Only after he kills Ramada for even thinking about marrying his blonde.

Looking at Itachi softly, she mustered up what voice she still had, tears no longer on the brim. "Ita-san…can I have your cloak?" She asked, reaching her still pricking hands out to tug on it gently.

Smile coming onto his face, he closed his eyes, shaking his head at her. He should've expected that. "Of course you can." Getting up, he pulled it off, waiting until Kirei had snuggled back down on her bed before setting it over her like a blanket.

Grasping it in her hands, she pulled it close to her, somehow feeling secure with it. "Thank you, Ita-san." She mumbled, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, trying to find some way to deal with almost dying and getting a marriage…command?

"You're welcome." He answered softly, sitting back on the bed and petting the blonde's hair, trying to help her to sleep. He knew that her mind was probably overloaded with everything that had transpired during the day and could only hope that he'd get to see the Yondaime soon.

For the sake of the village, Kirei and Sasuke and everyone else in the world, he needed to get all this information to the Yondaime.

* * *

Unfortunately for Itachi, getting out of Akatsuki and heading to Konoha to tell the Yondaime was harder said than done.

It was now late January, the snow falling almost continually on the land, making the base colder than ever. Surprisingly enough, the plans to attack Konoha had been delayed, not because of the snowfall, but because of more drastic reasons.

Only a few days ago, the body of Zu, one of the twins, had been found outside the room of the Seven Tail, marred and cut up just like Kirei's had. He had been dead for at least 10 minutes before someone found him.

Set, his brother, was nowhere to be found…at least until Itachi used his Sharingan to follow the chakra trail of the member to see that it went into the Seven Tail's room and then dissipated. He was presumed dead.

So now, Itachi stuck closer to Kirei than ever, trying to keep her away from the Seven Tail and away from the man hell-bent on marrying the blonde who didn't want to marry him. And that, caused him to be unable to leave for Konoha anytime soon.

"Ita-san?" Kirei asked happily as she sat on her bed, wrapped up in Itachi's cloak, setting one of her many letters aside, having read it oh so many times. "When will you be going home?" She asked softly, blue eyes looking up to tired black eyes.

He sighed first. "I'm not sure." He answered, sitting on his own bed, trying to find something to do and thinking of how to avoid Ramada better. "It'll be hard with everything going on right now."

Eyesight shifting downward to the floor, Kirei's demeanor seemed to change. "Oh. Okay." She didn't mean to be upset as much as she was, but she couldn't help it. It'd been so long since she'd been home for more than a day and she missed it.

Before Itachi could ask what was wrong or consol her, a strange scuffling noise came from down the hall, the open door allowing them to hear it and look into the hall, wondering what was coming.

Kirei watched with curious eyes, seeing two members carrying a white stretcher, the sheet overtop whatever laid on it unmistakably white with red splotches here and there. Blue eyes widened when they saw the arm that was lying limply off the side, blood still running down the arm, dripping onto the floor. Her mouth dropped open slightly in shock.

Seeing all of it just as she did, Itachi sighed, getting up slowly and walking over, shutting the door. He did notice that it wasn't just one stretcher; it was two. "So another two members are dead…" He mumbled to himself, turning back around to find big blue eyes on him.

"Are they…?" Her voice faded as she asked, watching him come back to his previous spot on his bed.

He nodded, deciding that it was better if she knew they were dead. Then maybe she'd get second thoughts about going to seek the Seven Tail's attention again. "Yes, Kirei. They're dead."

She swallowed thickly, still watching him. "Did the Seven Tail kill them?" She asked in a meek voice.

"Yes," He answered again, keeping his voice calm as he looked into those worried blue eyes. "It did. That's why you can't go around her."

Getting up, she gathered the part of the cloak that dragged on the floor, walking only a few steps to sit beside him on his bed, leaning just a bit to set her head on his arm since he was much taller than her. "So this is all really happening? Ramada's really gonna attack Konoha?" She asked, her voice timid, trying to wrap her mind around the idea.

He guessed she was trying to come to terms with the reality around them after seeing the two dead members, also noticing that she was now looking outside to the snow covered ground. "Not if I can get to the Yondaime and tell him a few things first."

She was silent for a few minutes, thinking as her eyes drifted over the snow. "…But…didn't you just say it was going to be hard to leave right now?"

He took a deep breath, wondering just where she was going with her question, but had a pretty good idea. "You want to help?"

She nodded. "I can't help but feel it's partly my fault…and all I've been doing is sitting around here while you guys do everything. Isn't there something I can do?" She asked, tilting her head back and looking into onyx eyes. "Anything?"

Itachi didn't reply, too busy trying to tear his eyes away while thinking of something. It was true that she had been doing nothing, but what could she do? She wasn't a ninja, like he was…

She wasn't a ninja, was she? She was just a normal 18-year-old girl, forced to live a world that was far beyond her understanding and control.

It was then the idea struck the Uchiha; She could distract Ramada. With being a normal girl, she kept him attached to the world, distracted from all his Ninja and Leader-like duties. And if she could keep him preoccupied for long enough, he could make his way to Konoha and tell the Yondaime of Ramada's intentions.

"I think I do have a way you can help, Kirei." He answered her after a few minutes, bringing his sight down to an expecting blonde. "But I don't know if you'll do it."

"I'll do anything." She replied quickly, getting up as the cloak gathered on the floor. "Anything."

He sighed, closing his eyes momentarily. "Alright. Do you think you can keep Ramada distracted for a day?"

Tilting her head as black eyes looked into hers, she ruffled her eyebrows. "Distracted? How so? You mean like a…date or something?" She asked back.

He nodded. "Anything, just so long as he's preoccupied long enough for me to get to Konoha, about a full day." He explained, keeping an eye and ear out for anyone who might come into the room and hear them.

Blue eyes found their way to the ceiling, thinking. She knew for a fact that Ramada wouldn't do anything to her unless she wanted it…and they weren't getting "married" for a while…so…a date was okay. She could take him shopping, maybe even head up to that old house they'd gone into before.

Looking back to half expectant, half curious onyx eyes that reminded her so much of her love, she nodded. "I'll ask and see if he wants to go on a date or something…and I'll do my best to keep him out for the whole day, Ita-san."

Smile coming onto his face, he stood up, setting a hand on her head and tousling her head. "Don't go getting hurt or letting him hurt you, okay?" He asked her, crouching slightly to look her dead in the eye.

She nodded happily, a smile coming onto a usually plain face. "I won't. Don't worry, Ita-san." She waited a moment, letting him smile back and remove his hand before running to the door and opening it, continuing to the office of her pursuer.

The elder Uchiha followed her to the door to watch her walk down the hallway, just in case and wondered if he'd done the right thing. He didn't want to endanger Kirei, but he had to get to Konoha at any cost.

But was putting Kirei in danger worth that very cost, when the ultimate goal was to get her out unharmed in the first place?

* * *

To both raven and blonde's dismay, that distraction date didn't happen until a week had passed, allowing precious time to slip from their hands, but also brought the day of reckoning for Konoha closer and closer.

Ramada, having no knowledge of the plan, knew something was up between the two of them. Kirei had never asked for a date and was sticking a little closer to Itachi than normal. Not to mention that doctor…Konoha did have a good hospital, albeit, there were other hospitals with doctors just as good.

Few other coincidences led Ramada to believe that Itachi might be double crossing him and now, he might even have Kirei in on it, which Ramada didn't want to believe. His future wife and best subordinate conspiring against him?

He didn't like thinking about it overtop everything else buzzing around in his mind; mostly the thought of how he was going to control the Seven Tail with only 5 members remaining. Only himself, Itachi, Sosari, Nokan and Daidera remained.

All others had been killed by the Seven Tail.

With all of this information, plans and worry placed on his brain, the unusual date enticed him to leave, to take a load off for once. He was leader of Akatsuki, after all; he could take a break once in a while.

"Are you ready, sir?" Kirei asked as she slipped into the office, a small smile placed on her face. She hoped that he wouldn't be able to tell it was fake.

He smiled back, happy that his blonde was in such a good mood today. It seemed as if their date would be a rather good one. "Yes, I am." Setting aside a few papers, he checked his desk drawers, making sure they were locked and finally stood up, coming over to meet his blonde. "Are you excited for our date, Kirei-chan?" He asked, slipping an arm around her waist.

Keeping the smile on her face and trying not to squirm from his grasp, she nodded. "Yep. Are you?"

"Oh, very much so." He answered, opening the door for her. "I hope to forget about everything on my mind today."

Walking out first, she led him past their room, taking a short glance inside to Itachi, who waited for her signal. "I'll make sure you forget about everything today. We'll stay out all day!" She cried happily, turning her head slightly and winking inside the room.

Itachi gave a slight nod, corners of his lips turning up slightly. He walked over to the doorway after a moment, following the two until they had left the base completely.

"Maybe not all day, Kirei-chan." Ramada told her as they walked into the kitchen.

She tugged on his sleeve, looking up at him with those big blue eyes of hers, putting on her pouting face. "Why not?"

How could he resist that face? "We'll see, Kirei-chan." He answered, knowing they'd probably be out for most of the whole day.

Watching them teleport off, Itachi took a cautious look around, checking each hallway before teleporting off himself, heading off for Konoha as fast as he could.

* * *

"Where are we going, Kirei-chan?" Ramada asked as his blonde led him down the nearly vacant snowy streets, looking to all the buildings around him and the back to her.

"Does that matter?" She asked back, turning her head slightly to look back at him, her hand in his. "I mean, we're together, aren't we?" She asked further, trying to pretend that it was Sasuke she was talking to and not Ramada.

He smiled at her reply, realizing that she was right. "We are together." Picking up the pace, he came to walk beside her and yet let her lead him along. "Did you miss having time for us, like before?" He asked, speculating on why she'd ask for a date at such a dangerous time.

Despite the fact that she didn't, she nodded. "Uh-huh. I missed spending time with you." Why couldn't she rub a bar of soap all over her tongue, but shyly looked away from him, a small smile placed on her face.

He smiled, seeing her shyness, moving closer as he took his hand from hers, slipping it around her waist. "Than why don't we spend the whole day together?" He asked, knowing that was what she wanted in the first place.

She brought her blue eyes back to his, shivering slightly from the cold winter wind. "You mean it?"

He took a deep breath, looking out into the sky, seeing the sun at high noon. "I can't promise you anything, love…but we could probably stay out to just near sunset." He answered her, sight coming back to look deep into those pristine blue eyes that he loved.

She didn't let her sight waver, hoping with all her heart that that would be enough time for Itachi. Smile coming onto her lips, she looked back into burgundy eyes. "We should get started then, shouldn't we?" She asked, knowing that in the back of her mind, the fate of Konoha rested on her.

Seeing that smile made him smile as well, following her happily. "Let's."

Leading him further away from the base, Kirei could only hope that she'd allowed Itachi more than enough time to get to Konoha and come back.

If she hadn't, then she'd just doomed Konoha, Itachi, Sasuke, Naruto, her uncle and everyone she loved, let alone herself, to a fate worse than death could ever give them.

* * *

Traveling among the branches of the tallest trees, hoping that they'd be clear of snow and make it easier for him to travel, Itachi couldn't believe how much snow rested on these branches.

There was at least 3 to 4 feet of snow on each branch, slowing him up to near snail like pace. "I can't believe this…" He mumbled, trying to maintain a fast speed.

He knew that he had to get to the Yondaime before Kirei and Ramada returned to the base, but also knew that the blonde didn't want to be out with the Leader at all. If anything, she wanted to avoid him at all costs.

Mind going back and forth between Ramada's "proposal" and the fact that near half of Akatsuki had been decimated, Itachi tried as much as he could to pick up speed, jumping from snowy tree branch to snowy tree branch.

He could only hope that he reached Konoha soon, giving him enough time to speak to the Yondaime without gasping for breath.

* * *

Hours later, Ramada had kept his "promise" to Kirei. They had arrived back home just as the sun was setting, just as the snowfall had picked up, along with the wind.

Both noticed that Itachi wasn't in the base.

"I wonder where he could've gone…" Ramada mused out loud, wondering if he truly was double crossing him. He waited to see what his blonde would say.

Looking into her room, hoping he was just in the bathroom, Kirei pretended that she'd forgotten something. "Oh, yeah…" She began, looking back to her "Fiancé" with a smile. "I forgot to mention that I asked him to go out while we were out today…to pick up some things I needed…" She smiled sheepishly, hoping he wouldn't ask what kind of things.

Loving the smile but doubting her speech, he tilted his head. "What kind of things?"

She sighed, trying not to look like she was grasping at straws. "Well…I've been getting a little cold at night…so I asked for blankets…and then…more cold medicine…" She broke eye contact, pretending like she was trying to remember. "Um…" She rolled her lips. "And a few new art supplies."

He nodded, still not sure if he should believe her. "Of course," He smiled nonetheless, kissing her forehead. "Anything for my wife."

She resisted the urge to gag.

"Leader, sir!!"

Both turned, looking to see a rather cut up Daidera running down the hallway, holding her right arm tightly.

Kirei couldn't help but watch the blood drip from the wound with large eyes, the blood making her heart beat faster.

Ramada saw it as well, although he was much more calm than his love. "Go in your room, please, Kirei-chan." He commanded softly, pushing her through the doorway by her back gently.

She nodded, not really wanting to know anyway. "Okay." Going into the room, she heard only few words before Ramada shut the door in her face.

"Ramada," Daidera called, not caring if she had to refer to him as Leader anymore, her voice and actions frantic. "She's gotten out of control!"

Panic flashed into his eyes for only a moment. "It's alright, Daidera. I'll handle this."

It was then the door was shut on a very curious, eavesdropping Kirei. Sighing heavily, she went over to her bed, dropping onto the hard mattress. She couldn't help but worry about what the conversation had meant, not to mention the worry shown in Ramada's eyes at the blonde's lie.

Sitting there, not knowing what to do with herself, she suddenly looked to the direction of where the 7 Tail would be, hearing a rather large crash and a scream. "What was that…?" She asked herself, keeping her eyes glued to that spot.

That was when something familiar caught her sight.

Itachi's cell phone – the one Ramada couldn't know about – was out in plain view, sitting on the desk right near the door.

Tilting her head while keeping her sight on the device, she got up cautiously, walking over to it. "I thought he always hid this around the room…" She mumbled, picking it up and flipping it open. "Why did he leave it here?" She asked herself, figuring he'd forgotten it.

She stared at it for a moment, watching the time click by. "Well," She began, still staring at it. "If his phone's here…then he's got to be here somewhere too." The blonde told herself, shrugging her shoulders somewhat.

So, despite the danger that might be going on in the base, Kirei headed for the door of her room to search the desolate parts of the base for her raven-haired older brother, also keeping the phone with her. Slipping outside her door, she closed it softly, going through the phone's contacts at the same time to find her Uncle's number.

Calling her Uncle could at least confirm that he'd either left his house and was in the base or on his way, or that he was still with the Yondy.

Putting the phone to her ear, hearing the ring on the other side, she sighed silently, looking down one hallway near hers.

She just wanted to know where her brother had gone.

* * *

Walking into the very toasty warm Hokage Manor after filming, Sasuke and Naruto discarded their jackets, gloves and scarves, throwing them onto the back of the couch, happy to be out of the harsh winter wind.

"_**Married**_?!" The Hokage yelled from upstairs, his voice echoing throughout the mansion, seeing as how his door was open.

Not used to such random outbursts from his dad, Naruto shot a confused look to Sasuke, who held that same look. "I think we should head up to check on him…" He suggested, a little concerned for his dad. Sure, they were all missing Kirei, but had his dad gone off the deep end already?

Sasuke nodded, concerned as well as he followed Naruto up the stairs.

Both were absolutely shocked to see a rather wet Itachi sitting opposite of a now standing, very flustered Hokage.

"What do you mean – "

"Hey, dad." Naruto began softly, rapping on the open door. He was slightly afraid of his dad's reaction.

Voice cutting off, Minato looked to his left, seeing his son and almost son standing in the doorway, both looking very confused and worried. "Uh," He shook his head slightly, sitting back down in his chair and trying to regain some of his composure, although the news he'd just been hit with was big. "Come in boys."

"Minato – " Itachi warned, seeing the two walk in cautiously. It's not that his brother and Naruto didn't have a right to know what was going on it Akatsuki – everyone in the city did – but was it good to have them know? Was it good for them to fret and worry more than they already were? And knowing those two stubborn butts, if they knew what was going on, could Minato really stop them from endangering the situation all together?

"It's alright, Itachi." The tall blonde began, knowing Itachi's worries and fears well. He brought blue eyes to his most trusted teens. "I think it's time they know what's going on."

Taking a large sigh, Itachi stood up and took off his new cloak, hanging it on the coat rack. "I hope you know what you're doing." He mumbled, wringing out the drench cloak.

Sasuke and Naruto wondered what he meant, shifting their sight between him and the Yondaime who sat across from them. They'd managed to sit in the only available seat, Naruto on the actual seat, Sasuke on the armrest.

"What do you – "

"Boys, I want you to listen and listen very carefully." He began, voice very calm, eyes looking back between the two. Lacing his hands together and setting them on the desk, he continued. "I don't want any interruptions or outbursts until I'm finished telling you what I have to tell. Do you understand?"

Both nodded, hearing Itachi sit back in his seat.

"Now, we don't have a lot of time," His eyes flickered to Itachi for only a moment. "So I'll get right to it." He took a large sigh, knowing curious eyes were watching him, closing his eyes for an instant. "Ramada, the Leader of the Fake Akatsuki has captured the Seven Tail Jinchūriki and plans on harnessing its power to attack and decimate Konoha. Soon."

Blonde and raven's jaws dropped, eyes staring at the Yondaime, trying to figure out if he was serious.

When adamant, grave blue eyes looked back, no smile placed on his usually smiling face, they knew he was nothing but serious. "Both Itachi and I have known for quite some time about this and I plan on evacuating the village, sending our people to allies for safety." He took a moment to pause, looking out the glass door, seeing the bottom of the round sun beginning to set. "What I have just found out from Itachi is something I find very disturbing, boys. Please, don't overreact."

They nodded, unable to hide their complete and utter shock.

"As soon as Ramada would take over Konoha, making it his own village…" He sighed, preparing himself to say it. "He plans on…marrying Kirei."

The room went dead silent.

Sasuke didn't know what to feel – anger or despair, coal black eyes blinking first, then slowly finding their way to the floor.

Naruto on the other hand, knew exactly what he felt and voiced it. "What?! He can't do that!! Not to my little sister! Not to my nee-chan!!!" He yelled, not caring that his father asked him not to.

"Oh, trust me boys, I know how both of you feel," The Yondaime answered, knowing Sasuke was crushed at hearing his girlfriend was "getting married" to someone else and how Naruto was upset that his "sister", as he put it, was "getting married" to someone who threatened the entire village's safety, let alone hers. "Trust me. But, apparently, that's not all."

Sasuke's broken eyes were brought back to look at Minato, who was looking at Itachi. This brought him to look at his older brother.

Naruto was looking as well, curious at what ridiculous statement was next.

Warming up slightly, Itachi sniffled, looking between all three of them. "Over the last few weeks, the Seven Tail has…lessened Akatsuki's forces." He stated.

"What do you mean?" Minato asked, seeing as how both boys were still in shock.

Sighing, he looked to the Yondaime only. "5 members are already dead out of the original 10 that were there."

The boys looked in confusion, but the taller blonde knew what that meant, a large stab going through his heart, alarms going off in his mind.

Akatsuki no longer had the power to control the Seven Tail and it was only a matter of time before it went berserk.

In the silence of the room, two sets of blue eyes, two of black, were drawn to the Yondaime's desk, where something on it was buzzing.

Reaching for his very outdated cell phone, Minato picked it up, wondering who was calling him. The people who usually called him were all here…so who could it be?

Looking at the caller ID, he ruffled his brows, the phone still vibrating in his hand. "Itachi?" He read, glancing over to the elder Uchiha.

Patting himself to check for his phone, Itachi shrugged his shoulders. "I must've left it at the ba…se…" His voice faded as all of them came to realization that only one person could be calling from his phone.

Answering it quickly, the Yondaime put it on speaker phone, allowing all in the office to hear. "Kirei?" He asked, wondering what the strange sounds on the other side were.

"…ta-…an?" Was the garbled reply, crashes and bangs heard through the static. "…ere…re…ou?"

They looked at each other.

"Sounds like, "Where are you?"." Sasuke mumbled, knowing his love's voice so well, knowing how she spoke. "I can't tell what the first part was, though."

Itachi had that answer. "Ita-san." He answered. "It's what she calls me."

"Kirei, what's going on?" Minato asked, his heart beginning to race when he heard his daughter-like niece scream slightly. "What's happening?" He asked frantically, knowing the others were frantic as well.

There was another crash on the other side. "…th…Seve…ail…!" Her voice replied, panicked. "…'s gotte…out! …bas…on fire…nd…erythin…lling…" She yelled, her speech interrupted by static and crashes. "…h…god…" They could hear her frantic breathing in between each word when it wasn't garbled by static.

"You don't think…" Naruto began, worriedly looking to his best friend, his father and his best friend's brother. He hoped to god that it wasn't what he was thinking.

After a somewhat long silence, the voice became clear.

"Help!!!"

All three stared in horror as a blood curdling scream went out.

"Princess!!"

"KIREI!!!!"

It was no use.

The line was dead.


	24. Attack

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD

_Notes: _Sigh. Talk about waiting for an update, huh? I know, I know, it's been longer than I intended it to be, but as always, life got in the way. I honestly hope you all like this chapter, I spent a LOT of time working on it. I had rewritten parts of it at least 5 times before actually liking what I'd written. I'm sorry it's so short, and I have no clue if the Seven tail is a girl, but I assume so. If she isn't, please, let me know and I'll change it. So please, Review or PM, let me know what you think. As an update for the sequel...it's coming along. Slowly, but surely it's coming along. As always, thank you for reading!!

_Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up! Thanks for reading!!!_

* * *

_Chapter 24 – Attack_

* * *

Walking through the hallway, the phone up against her ear still ringing, Kirei couldn't mistake the smell in the air.

It was smoke.

"Please, pick up…" She mumbled, the phone still ringing, she still continued to walk through the base.

Turning her head away from seeing a blood smear on the wall, she finally sighed when the phone clicked, signaling that someone had picked up the phone.

"Ita-san?" She asked, hearing her Uncle's voice call her name. "Where are you?" She asked further, hearing silence from the other side, making her slightly nervous.

Kirei jumped when suddenly, the whole building shook, a monstrous roar echoing through the base's hallways. From that roar, she flinched and shrieked when a piece of the ceiling came crashing down right beside her.

"What's going on?" Uncle Yondy asked, his voice slightly frantic. "What's happening?"

She tried to answer, continuing to walk through the falling apart building. Instead of a ceiling piece, a door crash landed right in front of her, having been rooted off it's hinges from the shakes the building was going through. In her heart, she feared the Seven Tail had gotten loose.

Her fears were confirmed when she turned the corner, seeing the Seven Tail in a strange state, only four of it's Seven tail's showing as Ramada, Daidera and Sosari tried to fend it off, her heart trying to keep up with her racing mind. "The Seven Tail!" She screamed, turning back down the corridor and running down it, trying to get as far away from the danger as she could. "It's gotten out!"

Her eyes darted left and right, shying away from a sudden fire blast that nearly burned the side of her face, while trying to jump over rubble and debris. "The base is on fire and everything's falling!" At the silence from the other end, she hoped they could hear her.

Coming down another unknown corridor, the blonde's whole body jumped, blue eyes seeing someone get thrown into the wall near her, heart missing a beat. Walking up, she realized that it was Sosari, blood running down his mouth and out of the wound on his head.

His eyes were shot open, body limp.

"Oh god…" She mouthed, gulping as her heart pounded in her chest, her free hand coming up to cover her mouth out of shock..

"Kirei!!" Ramada's voice called out from behind her.

Looking behind her, she found a cut up and slightly soot covered Ramada running toward her, fear and panic in his voice and eyes. "Ramada – " She began, holding the phone away from her mouth slightly, not caring if he saw it. The base was falling apart, being destroyed by the rampaging Seven Tail. What did a little cell phone matter?

"Please," He begged, coming up to her and grabbing her free hand. "Don't ask questions." Burgundy eyes boring into hers, he pulled her into his arms when the base shook once more, covering her small body with his. "We've got to get out of here."

She complied, keeping the phone open, hoping that they were able to hear what was going on. Knowing they could hear told her that they'd be there soon, to save her.

Keeping her close and yet pulling her along by her hand, dodging flaming debris while helping her over fallen walls and doors, he tried to find a way out of what used to be the base.

He couldn't believe that the Seven Tail had gotten loose, how everyone but himself, Kirei and Itachi – wherever he was – were the only ones still alive. As far as he knew, the Seven Tail had killed everyone else and was hell-bent on killing every last Akatsuki member that aided in her kidnapping; which only meant that she was looking for the two of them. "Please, move quickly, Kirei." He asked, feeling a tug at his hand.

The phone still in her hand, Kirei had stopped despite the crumbling base around her, staring wide-eyed into what used to be her room.

Everything was gone. Everything. What weren't ashes was still on fire or smoldering, blackened debris making everything in the room unnoticeable. It was a shock to her whole system, slightly able to hear something on the other side of the line, while feeling the heat from the fire around them, the ground shaking below her feet.

Ramada wished he could've just teleported them far away from here, but it was no use; his chakra had been used up by trying to contain the Jinchūriki once more. "Please, Kirei," He began, tugging her slightly, knowing she was shocked. "We've got to go."

But they didn't have time to be shocked. They only had time to run.

She didn't seem to hear his words, staring into the room as ceiling pieces caught on fire, walls around her crumbling.

"…So here is where you are hiding…" A rumbling voice spoke, coming from the corner of what used to be the hallway, from behind them.

Seeing the Seven Tail, Ramada did not gently tug at his love, he pulled her away, picking her up into his arms to run as fast as he could through the ruined base, the Seven Tail hot on his heels.

It seemed fate was not on their side tonight, when, as he looked back to check where the beast behind them was, he tripped over a scorched piece of wood.

As he fell to the floor, Kirei was thrown from his arms, hitting the ground a few feet away from him, the phone thrown out of her hand, sliding a few feet away from her grasp. Just as she hit, she screamed, a splitting pain coming from her right side, the side she'd hit.

Holding that side in pain, she tried sitting up, wincing as she did so, wondering why her ribs hurt so bad.

"Kirei!"

Heart already racing and still holding her side, large blue eyes looked up, going even wider when she saw a large piece of the unstable ceiling break off and fall. It was impossible to dodge, it's path directed right to where she was laying.

She very quickly realized that she was going to die there. "Help!!!" She cried out of instinct, shying her face away form it in some effort to save herself.

Readying herself to be crushed, wishing with all her heart that she could've seen Sasuke one last time, she felt something overtop of her and at one last glance, found loving burgundy eyes on her, a pair of arms wrapping around her.

Then after a harsh push, everything went black.

* * *

As dawn broke across the horizon, thick black smoke strewn throughout the gray sky, three very worried Ninja landed at the burned ground of the Akatsuki base.

Or…what was the Akatsuki base.

The once large base had been reduced to scorched rubble, only parts of walls still standing, blackened by the now dead fire although pieces were still smoldering. Anything that they had hoped to find would be burned to a crisp or completely crushed.

Landing slightly before his younger companions had, Itachi stood, frozen in complete and utter shock at the sight. His normally narrowed eyes were wide, looking across the ground slowly, taking in all of the destruction, mouth opening slightly. He felt his breath leave him, along with any feeling he had in his body.

The two next to him were almost the same way – shocked and frozen – although, unlike Itachi, they weren't numb.

"She can't be…" Naruto mumbled, shaking his head ever so slightly, blue eyes already tearing up as he stumbled into the rubble, not caring if his shoes and feet burned from the heat the place emitted. "She can't be dead…" He mumbled further, tears brimming over his eyes, slowly rolling down his cheeks. Overturning black fallen walls, he sobbed heavily. "…can't be dead…" He repeated through his sobs, finding nothing but burnt wood.

His breathing slowly becoming ragged, Sasuke's wide onyx eyes were slightly frantic, looking over the ruin, trying to find what he knew, what he somehow knew wasn't there. Gulping thickly, his eyes slowly became glazed over as they unfocused, diverting to his feet, head tilting downward slightly.

Eyes glazed over but still racing, he came to realization that his Princess, the one girl who he loved with every fiber of his being, the one who he'd thought he'd spend the rest of his life with, was not coming back home.

She wasn't coming back at all.

"…sh…" He began to speak, his voice cut horribly short, panting heavily.

In one fluid motion, the heartbroken raven fell to his knees, closing tear-ridden eyes tight, hiding his face in his hands as he wished with all his heart he could've seen her one last time, held her one last time, kissed her one last time.

Standing close to him, Itachi knew his brother had fallen to his knees and that he was crying, able to hear his pants and sobs. As his brother, he probably should have knelt and patted his shoulder to help comfort him, but felt it best to let him mourn on his own.

After all, he'd be on his own for a while, if not his whole life.

* * *

A few hours had passed, but all three had stayed in their spots, Naruto still searching for closure, Itachi mourning the loss of a dear friend, Sasuke still crying as he felt his already broken heart fall to bits and pieces.

Still not wanting to come to grips that he'd lost her, he came to realize that he'd broken the one promise that kept her alive throughout this whole ordeal; the promise that her Prince would come and save her from the hell she was in, and he'd broken it. Shattered it to bits and pieces, just like his heart.

Still searching for something, anything of his little sister to give him closure, Naruto spent the last few hours frantically uncovering every board, every piece of debris, not caring if his hands burned to a crisp.

He had to get closure. A dead body was better then a body never found.

Blinking his eyes from the smoke and from his own tears, the unstable blonde overturned yet another piece of blackened wood, knowing he wasn't going to find anything. And yet, as he began to move to another pile, his blue eyes caught something.

"…wha…" He breathed, shaking his head ever so slightly, drying his eyes with his sleeve, making sure he was seeing straight.

Right there, in that small pile of fallen walls, debris and ceiling wood, a small tuff of blonde hair was sticking out, it's ends singed and split.

Eyes widening a bit, he recognized that blonde hair. He **_knew_** that blonde hair.

Frantically, Naruto drove himself, tears, burned hands and all, to unearth the body of his beloved sister. "Please…" He begged softly, ignoring his burning hands. "Please let her be here…" She had to be there. She had to.

Standing in the same spot he had been for the last few hours, Itachi saw the blonde digging hysterically, eyes narrowing slightly, his head tilting. He'd been digging for the last few hours, why was he digging in that one spot so ferociously? "Sasuke," He said softly, still able to hear the sobs of his brother. "Get up."

Sasuke didn't move, keeping his hands buried in his face. He didn't want to get up. He didn't want to do anything. All he wanted to do at this moment was die. Die and be with his beloved who was now out of his reach, out of his grasp. If he couldn't be with her in the world of the living, all he had to do was die and there were many ways to do that. Live wasn't worth living if she wasn't around.

"Come on," Itachi called further, grabbing his brother's arm and yanking him to his feet. He knew his brother didn't want to stand, but found it in his best interest to at least look at his friend and see what he was doing. "Look."

Shaking his head slightly, he didn't want to look. He was too guilty ridden, too ashamed and heartbroken to.

At least until he heard his blonde friend cry out. "Kirei!" He had called, hoping that through his digging, she was somehow alive. His call would reassure her that he was close to finding her and taking her home. He could only hope.

His head jerked upward, red-rimmed eyes opening and finding the blonde almost immediately thanks to his orange jacket. But as he watched, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, wondering why on earth he was digging through the debris –

Onyx eyes widening slightly, his brows lifted, his mouth opening slightly to let out a sigh and yet gasp of relief. He'd found her.

Dead or alive, he'd found Kirei.

Stumbling over through the scorched wreckage with the help of his brother, they came to him rather quickly, seeing what Naruto had seen; the length of soot covered blonde hair that lay on the burned floor, coming to meet in one specific spot.

Not a moment passed before the ravens helped to overturn the huge beams and fallen walls that nearly crumbled at their touch. It took a few minutes, but finally, all three lifted the last large piece of wood, revealing what they least expected.

There definitely was a body underneath that pile, but it wasn't the body they were looking for. It was obviously male, donned in the familiar black Akatsuki cloak, his dark hair ruffled and slightly shaggy. In the position he was, it looked as if he was protecting something.

"It's Ramada." Itachi stated softly, knowing that cloak and that hair. He should know, seeing as how he'd lived with the man for the last half year.

Neither blonde nor younger raven cared. On each side of him, Sasuke pulled, Naruto pushed, rolling the body away, finding what they were looking for in the first place.

Below the crushed body of the Leader was their beloved, her soot covered, almost untouched head rolled to it's side, mouth open slightly, eyes closed. Her body didn't look so bad, but the large cloak she wore obscured anything broken from sight.

His eyes softening ever so slightly, Sasuke stared at her face, heart thumping wildly in his chest, gaining some hope that she might actually be alive. His right hand twitched, wanting to reach out and brush her bangs away from her face, but for fear that she might actually be beyond his fingertips, he remained still, continuing to stare at her face.

The blonde opposite of him choked back a sob when he saw her closed eyes, kneeling as he rolled his lips together, chest splitting apart as his heart ached more than it ever had in his life. "…Oh, Kirei…" He whispered, watching her with soft blue eyes, brushing away some of her bangs gently, feeling the coldness of her skin.

"…mm…" Feeling something warm brush across her skin, Kirei ruffled her brows ever so slightly, letting a small, almost inaudible moan escape from her mouth while trying to open her eyes. She dare not move her body, already feeling pain from every nerve ending she had even though she felt rather numb.

Seeing this slight movement, Naruto gasped, tears dropping from his wide eyes as his hand jerked to a stop in shock. "She's…she's alive…" He mumbled, breath starting to quicken.

Sasuke also saw her move, his whole body frozen more than before as his breath caught in his chest, feeling as if his heart had stopped completely when it had actually begun to beat faster.

Staring as well, Itachi looked at the near dead Kirei and then to the dead Ramada. His rather quick thinking mind could only come up with one plausible reason for how in the world the blonde had survived.

Ramada had forsaken his life to save hers.

"It's okay now, Kirei," Naruto spoke softly, voice cracking as he continued to cry, bringing his hand back to caress her soot covered cheek, knowing she could hear him. "We're here."

Trying to speak, but finding her voice gone, she whined slightly, trying to move her pain-ridden body. Just as she began moving, she felt another pair of hands on her skin, fingers brushing through her hair.

"It's okay, Princess." Sasuke whispered, as he knelt above her, looking at her and touching her to help get over the shock of her being alive after convincing himself that she was dead.

She reacted to her name and his touch, whining slightly and turning her head despite the pain. How she missed her nickname, him saying her nickname. Relaxing at their touches and assurances, she tried to take a deep breath, finding that when she did, her ribs ached, causing her to cough harshly.

Even though her eyes were closed and she wasn't able to see it, all three saw it when she coughed. Kirei was coughing up blood.

"I do not know who you three are," All three heads whipped to the sound of the booming voice, finding none other than the Transformed Seven Tail staring them down through the smoke. "But I thank you for finding the last of my captors." She said, glowing read eyes locked onto the Akatsuki of the shallowly breathing girl below her. "I had thought that I'd killed them all…although it seems one yet lives."

"The cloak." Itachi stated, following the Seven Tail's line of sight and smiling ever so slightly at the cloak she was still wearing. "The Seven Tail must think Kirei's part of Akatsuki…"

Naruto and Sasuke looked back to the injured blonde, seeing barely open blue eyes trying to see them.

"Than we've got to get her out of here." Naruto said, sky blue eyes finally dry, looking at his sister lovingly. "Sasuke – "

He didn't need to speak further, watching as the once distraught raven got up, coming to her side and pushing the rest of the Leader's body and some debris off of her gently. When that was finished, he came to her side once more, slipping his hands underneath her knees and back and picking her up so gently as to not hurt her more than she could be.

At every touch, no matter how soft or gentle, Kirei either whimpered or moaned, her body screaming out in pain.

Seeing Sasuke's rather worried face, Naruto stood up as well, setting a hand on his free shoulder, lifting Kirei's fallen arm and setting it on her stomach. "Don't worry about her, Granny Tsunade can heal her as soon as you get to Konoha Hospital." He assured, seeing the raven's face light up for the first time in a long time.

"But what about – "

"Don't worry," The blonde grinned, taking a step away from his friends and sister. "I'll deal with the Seven Tail, just get her home."

Nodding, the younger raven understood his near brother. The Seven Tail was hell-bent on killing every Akatsuki member that had aided in its capture and with Kirei wearing Itachi's cloak, it was zeroing in on her. "See you back home, then." He answered, looking down at his blonde once more before jumping out of the destroyed base and into the trees heading home, his brother at his side.

Trying very hard not to hold her tightly – like he wanted to – he kissed the top of her head once more, stopping for only a moment when she began to hack and cough up more blood.

Even though coughing up blood was not a good sign for her health, coughing was. Coughing meant she was breathing, which meant her heart was beating. Which in turn meant that she was alive.

* * *

Trying to get past the boy that guarded her captor's escape, the Seven Tail growled in annoyance, the ground around her shaking slightly. "What right do you have to deny me the slaying of those who kidnapped me?" She asked, voice bellowing in rage.

"Because," Naruto answered, closing his blue eyes momentarily and taking a large breath. When he opened them, he revealed red, fox like eyes, the whiskers on his face growing in size, his chakra turning red and forming around him in a fox like manner. "I am the Nine Tails." He growled, his power surpassing that of the Seven Tail quickly. "That is my right."

Despite her anger, she knew better than to mess with someone as powerful as he. Letting her demon's power slip from her fingers, she returned to her normal self. "I will let her go – this time." She spoke, watching as the Nine Tailed boy also let his transformation slip, eyeing the ally of her village when she saw his headband. "Inform the Hokage that I shall head back to my village."

Naruto nodded, waiting a moment to make sure she left for her village and did not head back in an attempt to kill Kirei. When he felt she was far enough away, he turned and headed home, his once guilt-ridden heart now light.

It may not have been the best way, but Kirei was alive.

That's all that mattered.


	25. End

_**The Actors**_

* * *

_Summary: _The Naruto world we know is real. The show we know is FICTION. The actors are real. With real lives, real friends, real tragedies. Life is awesome, until reports of a real-life Akatsuki shows up and threatens the life they know and love.

_Disclaimer: _I own the plot and my character, nothing less, nothing more. I wish I did own more. XD I Caught Myself is a song by Paramore, while Ultra Blue is Utada Hikaru's latest album, i believe.

_Notes: _LAST CHAPTER. Hehehe. I'm glad all of you guys have stuck with me on this story. I was planning on updating last night, because yesterday was my 18th birthday, but i wanted to make it a month between chapters 3. Information on the sequel will be up soon, i promise. But i'm currently sick and dealing with deaths in the family. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the Last chapter!!!

Thanks for the Reviews to those of you who have reviewed! I hope you'll keep it up!_** Thanks for reading!!!**_

* * *

_Chapter 25 - End_

* * *

Sighing heavily as she snapped off her opaque, slightly bloody gloves and throwing them in the nearest garbage can, Tsunade tried to keep her tired brown eyes open, heading down the long hallway to the lounge where two very tried teenagers were waiting for her.

Before entering the large room designed much like a living room for the comfort of waiting family members, she leaned on the door frame, letting her eyes slip shut if only for a moment.

She'd been in surgery for the last 6 hours, working on her only granddaughter's leg, which had been broken in three places, along with repairing her collapsed lung.

Needless to say, Tsunade was tired.

Despite her desperate need to lie down and sleep, she had to go in and inform the two teens of her condition. Taking a deep breath as she rubbed her eyes, she set her hand on the knob, turning it and walking inside.

On each side of the room was a couch, a tv and refrigerator placed at the back wall. It was fashioned to look and feel like a living room, and apparently, they'd turned it into their living room. Empty instant ramen containers were all over the room, along with silver foil wrappers of Hershey Kisses, presumably all gone.

Nodding off to sleep with his head in his hand, when the door opened suddenly, Sasuke looked up, finding that an equally tired Tsunade looked back at him, a small smile on her face. "Dobe," He began, taking the small pillow beside him and chucking it across the room to the sleeping blonde on the couch to try to wake him up. "wake up."

Jumping from the sudden pillow in his face, the blonde did wake up, shaking his head slightly and rubbing sleep from his eyes. "…huh?" He asked, not hearing what his friend had said. Seeing his grandmother standing near the door, looking at him with tired eyes, he immediately sat up. "Is nee-chan okay?"

Smiling, she shook her head at how he'd woken up so quickly. "Yes, she's fine. We just got out of surgery about 10 minutes ago."

The still in dream land Uchiha was snapped awake when he heard her words, coming to sit up a little more. "Surgery?" He asked, sharing the same concern with Naruto.

Tsunade sighed, closing her eyes. "Why don't you two follow me?" She asked, waiting a moment for the sleepy teens to rise to their feet and head out of the room. She led them down the hall to a much smaller room.

Sasuke recognized it as an examining room, walking in after Naruto to make sure he didn't fall asleep as he walked. He immediately noticed the blackened x-rays on the small light up boards on the wall.

Naruto recognized the bed that patients sat on to be examined, going over to it and hopping up on it. "So, what are we doing here?" He asked, watching his grandmother shut the wooden door.

She shut it in case Naruto would have an outburst like he usually does. Looking over at the both with a small smile, she replied, "I'm going to explain Kirei's injuries." She walked over to the light up boards, flicking on the one closest to the door.

Leaning against the table beside his best friend, Sasuke grimaced slightly, able to make out a broken bone or two.

"This is Kirei's lower leg," She motioned to the lower part of her own leg, right below the knee and ending at the ankle. "Broken in two places." Pointing to her bone on the x-ray, she showed them to the two places where the bone had cleanly broken apart, even though they were pretty apparent.

Naruto's mouth was hanging open, looking in awe and in pain at the x-ray. That must've hurt really bad.

"That's not all, boys." She said, moving to the next board and lighting it up. "This is her femur, or her thigh," She added, seeing Naruto's slightly confused look. "Also broken."

"On the same leg?" Sasuke asked quietly, not knowing what answer to hope for. Yes or no, it was still bad.

She nodded. "Yes. We had to repair the bones to their proper position and place steel pins in to stabilize it. She'll be in a cast for about 8 weeks, but don't worry too much. She'll be perfectly fine." She added, knowing that it was her job to inform and to comfort.

Even though he didn't really want to know, Naruto gulped and asked, "What else?" He knew that there had to be more than just a broken leg.

Removing those x-rays, she added on just one, informing them about her injuries in parts as to not overload them.

Not sure what to think, Sasuke recognized the pattern of bones on the x-ray as a left hand. If he looked hard enough, he could see the breaks in one set of the bones.

"This is Kirei's left hand, boys. The metacarpals," She pointed to the largest set of bones in the hand, where a person's palm would be. "are almost all broken. The one right here," She pointed to the smaller bone, Kirei's pinky. "is only fractured, but her whole hand is in a cast along with her wrist to refrain movement."

The raven's arms became unfolded, somewhat thanking god that it hadn't been her right hand that had been broken. Without her right hand, Kirei couldn't draw, couldn't paint…she wouldn't be able to work on her art, something that Sasuke loved and missed dearly. "What about her right hand?" He asked suddenly, wondering about the limb.

She smiled slightly. "It's perfectly fine."

Both blonde and raven smiled, happy to hear that at least something wasn't injured.

"Her forearm on the other hand…" She led on, taking down the x-ray.

Smiles turned to frowns, wondering what possibly could've happened.

To their dismay, she didn't put up an x-ray. "It's not broken or in a cast, but was burned."

"…burned?" Sasuke repeated softly, cursing at himself for even asking. He'd jinxed her artwork!

"Yes," She began, somehow sensing the raven's sadness. "it's wrapped in cooling bandages and should heal within a couple weeks." At her words, she noticed him perk up slightly.

He sighed a half heavy sigh in relief for himself and for Kirei. He knew that as soon as she was better, if not before, she'd want to get back to her "sanctuary" as she called it and truth be told, he wanted her to. He'd missed her artwork.

"Now," Tsunade continued at the silence. "We also had to repair Kirei's lungs, as you both probably knew."

They nodded, remembering how she was coughing up blood.

Pulling another x-ray out of her granddaughter's file, she put it up on the board. "She has five broken ribs, 3 on her right side, 2 on her left. One of those decided to puncture her lung, causing it to collapse and fill with blood," She saw both boys pale at her words and decided that it would be a good idea to not go into details. "however, the surgery was a total success and should heal nicely within 4 to 8 weeks."

"Everything seems to be healing within 2 months…" Naruto mumbled, diverting his sight to the ground, not able to look at the x-ray anymore.

It took Sasuke a moment to think about it, but realized the blonde was right. Everything so far seemed to be on a 2 month healing spree. "Anything else?" He asked, somewhat afraid to ask, looking into the resident doctor's eyes.

Despite seeing the pleading look in both blue and black eyes, hoping their was nothing else wrong, Tsunade sighed, having a few more things to tell. "Yes, but it's nothing major. Her left clavicle is also broken, probably from a fall or something heavy falling on her and to have that heal, her left arm will be placed in a sling, preventing her from moving it." She explained.

"How long will that take to heal?" Sasuke asked, somewhat expecting a 2 month answer.

"4 to 6 weeks." Tsunade answered with a smile, seeing how the boys shook their heads as if they were expecting the answer. "The only other things are bumps and bruises along with a few lacerations on her body and face." She took a moment, taking the last x-ray off the light boards and putting it back in the folder. "I will need one of you to give her the pain pills I've prescribed. There're a few of them and she needs to take them three times a day, nothing more, nothing less until I tell you."

They nodded.

"Also, I know she travels with you two to the film grounds…but I think until she heals, she should be kept at home and outside as little as possible." Brown eyes looked to both boys, seeing that the blonde looked like he was about to fall asleep and the raven tilting his head.

"Why?" Sasuke asked, knowing that Kirei would argue and protest being kept at home. After all this time away from her friends, she'd want to be around them as soon as she could.

Leaning back against the wall, Tsunade let her eyes close as she explained. "Well, with her being through surgery and taking pain meds, her immune system isn't really up to defending off a cold or something. Plus, with the way she eats…"

Naruto and Sasuke chuckled, knowing that Kirei never ate well.

"Yeah," She nodded, also chuckling. "So, I want her to stay inside as much as possible. Can I expect you two to help her out and make sure she takes her pain meds?"

Once again, both nodded, although at this point, Tsunade wasn't sure Naruto was listening. At least Sasuke looked awake.

"Anything else?" Naruto asked, heavy eyelids drooping over tired blue eyes.

She shook her head. "No, nothing." At her grandson's nod, she was thoroughly surprised that he hadn't once had an outburst. She wondered if there was something wrong with her grandson, yet somehow knowing it was just him being tired.

"Can we see her?" The Uchiha asked softly, black eyes staring into brown hopefully.

She sighed, beckoning them to follow her as they left the small examining room. "Well…" She began, leading them further down the hallway, further from the lounge. "We did just get out of surgery…so she's probably still sleeping off the anesthesia and even if she were to wake up," She began, stopping at room 38, turning to face the two curious boys. "you wouldn't be able to understand her. She'd either mumble so much or speak incoherently."

"But we can see her?" Sasuke asked further, not caring if she was awake or not. He just wanted to see his love.

She sighed once more, smiling ever so slightly. It seemed as if her explanation wasn't good enough for him. "Yes, you can see her Sasuke." She expected him to let out a sigh of relief, although, instead of sighing, he looked beside him to Naruto.

The raven was fidgeting slightly, looking over the blonde's face, trying to find some hint of something other than sleep. He wanted to know who was going to see her first, knowing that both of them going in at the same time probably wasn't a good idea, since she'd be a little groggy and maybe even confused. Most importantly, Sasuke didn't want to be selfish and keep her to himself – although he could argue that in this situation he could justify his actions of being selfish – but that was extremely unfair to Naruto, who was her real family.

Looking at the Uchiha tiredly, Naruto could tell he had a lot on his mind, seeing him fidget; something he'd usually never do, which just told him what was on the raven's mind. "Well," He began, closing his tired blue eyes, a hint of a smile on his face. "I'm going back to bed." With a nod to both his grandmother and Sasuke, he turned, heading back down the hall with the largest grin on his face.

The raven watched for a moment, wanting to make sure Naruto was serious. When the blonde continued to walk away, a smile crept onto his face, that sigh of relief finally being let out. He turned to Tsunade, who moved from the doorway. "Thanks for everything."

She smiled back. "No problem. I'll come check on her in about an hour or so." She informed, turning around, smile still on her face. "And now for my break…"

He let out a small chuckle, it slowly fading away as he set his hand on the doorknob, opening the door as quietly as he could and walking in the room.

Almost immediately he saw her, or at least, the leg within the cast, it hanging from a sling attached to the bed. Walking further into the room, he saw the rest of her, sleeping peacefully on the white bed, the covers messed up horribly.

As Tsunade told them, her left hand and wrist were definitely in a cast, the whole arm already set within a dark blue sling, holding it in place for her clavicle. Her right arm was also bandaged up from her wrist to her elbow, hand placed gently by her side as she slept.

Pulling up a chair quietly, he sat beside her, looking over all the cuts and bumps and bruises she had, watching her chest rise and fall slowly as the oxygen tube around her nose pushed air into her lungs, the heart monitor beating at a regular, slow pace.

He sighed softly, his fingers fiddling around with each other, not exactly sure of what to do with them. He could reach out and hold her hand…but would moving her hurt her?

Well, he didn't have to hold her hand. Without moving it, he could caress it, allowing him to feel the soft skin he'd missed so much. It might wake her up, too.

With a small smile placed on his face, he let his eyes trace her face for any movement while his hand gently reached out to hers, finger lightly tracing circles on the back of her hand and knuckles, traveling down to her nails and coming back up.

It took a few minutes, maybe even half an hour, of which he wasn't sure because he didn't really care about the time, he could feel her hand twitch below his, seeing a slight fluttering motion in her eyes. "Princess?" He asked softly, wondering if she was trying to wake up.

She answered with a soft moan, her throat feeling horribly scratchy and tight. "…where…" She mumbled, turning her head toward him slightly, tired eyes able to make out her love's face, making her smile slightly until a cut on her cheek made her stop.

"You're in the hospital." He answered softly, thankful that he'd learned how she spoke and that he was able to make out her mumbles like she was really talking to him. "In Konoha."

Her eyes closed for only a moment, trying to take a deep breath to sigh, but found her broken ribs restricted her breathing ability, making her cough slightly. She swallowed and tried to even out her breathing to stop, to speak again. "…tsuki…"

"Akatsuki's gone," He answered, figuring "tsuki" meant Akatsuki. "All of them. Itachi was with us…he's at home right now."

She nodded as much as she could, wanting to open her eyes to see him again, but found that they didn't want to be open. "…nii…"

"Sleeping." He answered with a chuckle, remembering how the blonde walked off toward the lounge. "He'll be by later."

Despite the pain, she lifted her right arm, letting her hand slip into his, fingers playing around and caressing his gently.

"You could've just asked," He told her softly, knowing it wasn't easy to lift a burned limb.

She answered with a whine, telling him that despite the pain, she wanted to do it. She wanted to caress and play with his hand.

He chuckled slightly, shaking his head at her. "Alright, Kirei."

She could hear the smile in his voice, forcing her eyes open ever so slightly to see the smile she missed. She tried to smile in return. "…will you…" She began, trying to summon up her voice.

Knowing this, Sasuke let her speak, waiting patiently for her to ask her question, betting that he knew what it was.

"…stay…" She forced her eyes open once more, looking over at him in hope. She wanted to see her cousin for sure, but as of the moment, she only wanted him to be with her. To stay with her.

He smiled, gently gripping the small, slightly cold hand in his as he got up from his seat, taking a step closer to her. Leaning over the bed and brushing away her bangs with his free hand, he planted a soft kiss on her forehead, bringing his black eyes to meet up with hers, staring into those blue eyes that looked up at him. How he missed those loving blue eyes. "Forever."

Her answer was reaching up slightly, planting a small kiss on his lips, smiling. "…love you…" She mumbled, laying her tired head back on the pillow.

Still holding her hand, he sat back down, continuing to brush away her bangs like he always did. "I love you too."

With a smile and a happy heart, Kirei let her eyes slip shut, going back to sleep, knowing he'd be there when she woke up.

He'd always be there.

Forever.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to talk about this so soon, Kirei?" The Yondaime asked, looking at his niece who was still in casts and bandages, sitting directly across from him in one of the seats. Her one and only crutch was leaning against that very chair arm, allowing her to get it whenever she needed.

Closing her eyes for a moment to reassure herself, she opened them again, staring directly at her uncle's blue eyes. "Yes, I want to tell you before I forget everything." She answered, nodding. "…but," She continued, taking her sight away from him. "do you think you could call Nii-san and Sasuke here? I don't want to go through this more than I have to."

He nodded, a small smile on his face. "Sure, sweetie." Reaching across the desk, he picked up his phone, flipping it open and calling his son.

Thankfully enough, he answered.

"Yeah, I know, I know," He began, responding to his son's slight outburst that reminded him of his late wife. "But I think you need to stop over here for a little bit. Oh, and bring Sasuke with you too." He commented, glancing at his fidgeting niece. "Yeah – "

Kirei shielded her eyes when a poof of smoke suddenly appeared to her right, startling her slightly. She didn't think they'd be that fast.

"Nee-chan?" Naruto asked as he waved away the smoke, swearing he saw Kirei sitting in the chair beside them. It took him a minute to realize that she was there, looking back at him.

Then her sight shifted to Sasuke, making her smile slightly. "Hi there." He said with a smile, walking around the back of the chair to stand to her left, allowing him to sit on the arm of the chair without disturbing her. "How are you?"

She smiled back, giggling slightly when he kissed the top of her head. "I hurt," She answered with a smile and chuckle. "but I'm okay."

A slight grin on his face, Naruto shook his head at the two. "So," He began, turning his attention to his dad who also watched the two beside him with a smile. "What did you call us here for?"

With his question, Kirei's sight shifted to the ground as she rolled her lips. She could feel her uncle's gaze shifting to her.

"We have a story to hear." He told them, inclining his head toward her, glancing at her.

Sky blue and black eyes looked to their injured love, immediately knowing that he was talking about what had happened almost a month ago at what used to be the Akatsuki base.

Keeping his face soft, Sasuke leaned downward as much as he could without falling, trying to catch her sight. "Are you sure?" He asked, full knowing that it wasn't easy for her to talk about it.

They all knew it wasn't easy, having tried to get the story out of her before. She was in the hospital for about a week, allowing her body the time it need to rest before she left for home – which was the Hokage manor for now.

Before Kirei had be discharged from the Hospital, Tsunade had told all three of them, her grandson, son and almost son, that she shouldn't be left alone in the loft and thought it best that she stay in the Manor until she was healthy. If she needed help, at least one of them would be there to help her.

And seeing as how Kirei was living there for the time being, Sasuke was also living there.

They had all tried at one time or another to get the story about what happened at Akatsuki out of her, to see if maybe she needed help mentally, but always failed. Her reaction was the same every time – rolling her lips, looking down to the ground, and claming up for a few hours.

So now, two looking at her, one trying to catch her sight, she nodded. "Yeah." Sighing softly, she shifted, trying to get comfortable although it was hard with everyone's eyes on her.

Sensing her discomfort, Sasuke kissed her temple, smiling as he did so. "Whenever you're ready, Princess." He told her, already knowing that Naruto and the Yondaime didn't care how long it took her to tell. They just wanted to know what had happened.

She went to take a deep breath, but stopped, remembering that her ribs were still sore and that whenever she took a breath, it hurt. "…Well…" She began, keeping her sight on the ground, thinking back to that day a few weeks ago. "I guess I'll start on the day that it all happened," She glanced up to her Uncle, getting a slight nod from him, telling her that was perfectly fine. "I had asked Ramada a few days beforehand to go on a…" She hesitated for a moment, wondering what Sasuke would say or think about her next statement. "date,"

Oddly enough, he didn't seem to flinch or stiffen. Sure, he may have been mad or upset, but it seemed that he wasn't. He knew that there had to be some underlying reason for her to go on a date with someone she didn't like.

Feeling a bit more confident, she relaxed a little, bringing her sight to the desk rather than the floor. "and he told me that he was a little busy that day and said he'd schedule it for another day."

"So the day you called us was the day you two went out?" Naruto asked, keeping his voice soft. He just wanted to be sure he was hearing her right.

She nodded, looking up at him. "Yeah…Ita-san and I had planned it." She stated, bringing her head back to the desk, but not looking at anything in particular to remember better. "You see…this wasn't the first time I was hurt by the Seven Tail."

The Yondaime's eyes widened slightly in alarm, along with Sasuke and Naruto's, but urged her on in a calm voice. "Hurt how, sweetie?"

She sighed softly. "That's a long story…but I got hurt…and he told me that he was going to marry me when he took over Konoha."

Minato nodded, all three of them knowing this part. He had a question to ask her about the date, but knew that he had to let her tell what happened at her own pace, so he kept silent.

Closing her eyes, she remembered almost exactly what she had said to Itachi all those weeks ago. "Itachi stayed in the room and overheard…just in case, cause I didn't want to be alone. After Ramada left, I told him that I didn't want to get married," She said, shaking her head. "not to someone I didn't love."

Her statement made Sasuke smile at her, wanting to lean down and kiss her forehead. He didn't only because she took another breath to continue her story.

"From there, Ita-san said he had a lot of important stuff to tell you, Uncle Yondy," She looked up at him briefly. "but it was going to be hard to leave the base without Ramada suspecting something, so I told him I'd keep him out of the base for a while – "

"Through the date." Sasuke finished for her, coming to understand why the blonde had gone on a date with the leader. She was doing it to help, to give Itachi the chance to keep their plan – and themselves – from being found out.

She nodded, glancing up at him. "Yeah…he told me he'd be back before we got home around sunset…but when we got back, he wasn't there."

They knew their side of the story, having been there when it happened and not knowing Kirei's side, listened very intently.

"I lied to Ramada when he realized Ita-san wasn't there, telling him that I asked Ita-san to get some things for me, but I don't think he believed me." She explained, closing her eyes once more and picturing the memories like a movie in her head. "And that's when Daidera came running down the hallway, her right arm torn up and bleeding, shouting something about not being able to control something else…"

Sasuke set his hand on her back gently, rubbing ever so slightly, trying to help her stay calm. He glanced over at Minato, wondering if he was thinking the same thing the Yondaime was.

The elder blonde nodded to Sasuke and his son, telling them that yes, she was talking about the not being able to control the Seven Tail.

"He asked me to go into my room and locked the door, I think…no," She shook her head, remembering. "No, he didn't lock it. But right after that, I sat on the bed and there was this loud crash from outside, which made me look up toward the sound. That's when I saw Ita-san's cell phone on the desk…and I knew that Ramada didn't know about it, so I got up and grabbed it, wondering why it was just left out." She explained further, the details coming back to her rather clearly, even though she didn't want them to. "And I thought, well, if he left it here, I could call you," She motioned toward her Uncle, keeping her eyes closed. "to find out where he is. If he wasn't with you, he was on his way back and if he was with you, I was going to tell you to send him back cause it was getting bad…and while doing so," She took a breath for a moment. "I went out of my room, to see if maybe he was in the base…"

Sasuke continued his gentle rubbing, shooting a worried glance to Naruto, who shared that same look. They could both tell that it was getting harder for her to tell, even though the memories were coming easier.

"…um…I saw…someone…I think it was Sosari thrown against the wall…when I went closer," She told them, eyes closed tightly, voice starting to crack. "he was dead….so I kinda went on, talking to you at the same time."

"Yeah," Naruto remembered, sitting in the chair beside them. "The line was full of static…it was hard to hear you."

Kirei didn't seem to hear him. She was too focused on the details in her mind. "And that's when Ramada came up to me…he was really worried and frantic, trying to pull me along out of the base…until I stopped."

"You stopped?" Sasuke asked softly, ruffling his brows at her. "Why?" He asked further, wondering why anyone would stop in a base that was on fire and falling apart.

She whined slightly, squeezing her shut eyes. "My room," She answered after a few minutes. "It was gone. There wasn't anything there…it was just…gone." She took her right hand away from the arm of the chair, bringing it around her waist, careful not to hit her slung left arm.

Sasuke continued to rub her back gently, hoping that after this, everything would go back to normal. He didn't like to see his Princess hurt like this.

"I was frozen," She continued, her voice lowering. "and because of that…Ramada picked me up and ran away…then…I think after a hallway or two…the Seven Tail found us and tripped him up…" She sighed a little, feeling her heart ache in her chest, almost as if she was going to cry.

Inching the seat closer, Naruto's grin had turned into a small, sad smile, watching his cousin softly as he set a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

Like before, she didn't seem to flinch or react to his touch. "…he fell…and I went flying a few feet away from him…that's when my ribs started to hurt," She realized as she spoke that that moment was when she'd broken her ribs, or at least fractured them. "A-and…he called out my name…I…I looked up," She said softly, gripping her side tighter.

Sasuke, Naruto and Minato watched her with worried eyes as the two boys tried to help her stay calm, the elder blonde taking small, yet very important notes – both to the situation for the other Kage's and for his own niece's sake. The notes and Kirei's further reactions would tell him if she needed to see a therapist and he would make sure that no one brought up these details again.

"…I thought I was going to die." She said, her voice cracking as she felt her eyes tear up. "There was this…ceiling piece that'd broken off and it was going to fall on me so I shied away from it," Her voice sped up, hoping that maybe the faster she talked, the faster she'd get through all of this. "until I felt something above me and wrap around my waist."

Minato's blue eyes widened slightly, remembering something Itachi had told him after they'd come back from the leveled base. When they found Kirei, Ramada was dead, but overtop of her and he had thought that maybe, just maybe, he'd jumped in and saved her at the last minute.

Could it be true?

She sighed softly, trying to relax her body and face, leaning forward as she let out a soft whimper. "He saved me." The blonde said after a very long silence, her tears expressed in her voice. "H-he died to…"

"That's enough, Princess." Sasuke cut her off, getting up and moving in front of her, taking her right hand gently and pulling her up into his arms. He didn't care if Naruto or Minato wanted to hear more; enough was enough.

"Yes," The Hokage nodded, agreeing with the raven. "that's more than enough, Kirei. I'm very proud of you."

Naruto nodded, standing up as well, agreeing with his dad. "You did good, nee-chan."

Snuggling into her boyfriends' chest to forget all of the things flying through her mind, Kirei did her best to hold back her tears. She just wanted everything to go away, to be forgotten forever.

Just as Sasuke opened his mouth to say that he was going to take her back to her room and help her calm down, he stopped, seeing yet another poof of smoke appear in the small office, meaning that someone had stopped by.

Turning his head to see what Sasuke was seeing, Naruto tilted his head, wondering who had stopped by the office.

"Oh, gosh, Minato," A woman's voice called out from the smoke cloud. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were with family or else – "

Smiling slightly, the Hokage raised a hand, telling her to stop. "It's alright, Nedari," He addressed her, standing up. "You have perfect timing."

Using Sasuke as a balance, Kirei turned slightly, wanting to see the woman who'd just teleported in.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" Another, much younger voice said, a small boy, probably 9 or 10, running out from the smoke cloud to Kirei. "Looks like – "

"You got beat." It seemed as if the same voice was speaking, but yet another boy ran out from the cloud.

Tilting her head at them, the blonde swore she was seeing double until she realized the two dark brunette haired boys with brown eyes were twins. "Yeah," She answered them softly, still holding onto Sasuke as she sighed, holding back her tears. "Something like that happened."

"Kyonen, Yokan!" The woman, presumably their mother, shrieked, waving away the smoke. "You know better than that. Get back over here." She commanded, the boys sulking back over to her.

Seeing the woman for the first time, Sasuke and Naruto had to blink at her for a few minutes, seeing more than a few similarities between her and Kirei. Of course, the woman had darker, more brown hair and greener eyes, but the height and size between them was oddly similar…

"Why don't we head down into the living room?" Minato suggested with a smile. "It seems to be getting pretty crowed."

Agreeing, Naruto headed for the door first, leading Nedari and her twins to the living room, Kirei following the boys, Sasuke at her side, helping her down the stairs while Minato took up the rear. Once everyone was situated on the couches and chairs in the huge living room, he explained who this woman was.

"Kirei," He began, looking at her with a smile as she sat between Naruto and Sasuke, the twins looking over her casts and faded cuts in amusement. "I think you and Nedari know each other through someone very special."

Taking a moment to look the woman over, she ruffled her eyebrows, shaking her head. "I'm sure I don't, Uncle Yondy."

Nedari agreed, nodding. "Yes, I'm sure I haven't met your niece before."

He expected this, smile still on his face. "I'm aware of that…but I believe you both know the person I'm talking about."

A thought suddenly popped into Kirei's mind at her Uncle's glance, her eyebrows relaxing as her mouth opened. "Do you mean Ramada?"

Hearing that name, Nedari's head whipped to the Hokage's niece, staring in shock at how in the world she knew that name.

"Don't worry, Nedari," Minato began, nodding to her and his niece. "I'll explain."

They waited impatiently for an explanation although the boys didn't seem too interested, their heads rolling round to see everything the Hokage living room had to offer.

"You see, Nedari, about half a year ago, my niece, Kirei," He motioned to her. "Was kidnapped by a man who called himself Ramada. He led a criminal organization that was planning to take over the world."

She nodded, understanding so far.

"During this time, something happened. One of my own Ninja decided to serve as a spy and enter the organization to protect Kirei. A few months later, he came to me and said that Kirei had told him something weird." He clarified further.

Kirei remembered this part. "We were out on a date," She cut in, drawing attention to her. "And he began to shake all over. A few seconds later, it was like he was a different person. He didn't seem to know that he'd kidnapped me and knew you, Uncle Yondy. He talked about being Mizukage, too." She told them.

The boys seemed to hear her, taking their eyes away from the living room and looking at their mother worriedly.

"Mom?" Kyonen asked, looking up at her with wide, worried eyes.

Looking over at the woman, the three teens saw her devastated face, eyes wide, mouth dropped open as her hand slowly traveled to her mouth. "Mi-Minato…" She began softly, unaware of the eyes on her. "Please, don't tell me…"

He nodded sadly, watching as the woman began to cry. "Yes, Nedari…he is dead."

The twins never took their eyes from their mother and when she began to cry, they climbed onto each side of her lap, drying her tears for her. "It's okay, Mom," Yokan spoke softly, his brother leaning his head on her shoulder, allowing her to hug the hell out of them. "It'll be okay."

Watching her, Kirei seemed to understand. "Ramada had another personality." She stated, her cousin and boyfriend coming to look at her. "That's what Ita-san told me."

Minato nodded, pulling a small handkerchief out of his Hokage cloak pocket and handing it to Nedari. "Exactly." He turned to them, letting Nedari and her sons have a few moments to consol each other. "Once you'd told Itachi about what happened, he told me everything you said. From there, I suspected he was from the Land of Waves and went through their missing person records." He explained. "I narrowed my search by his "I'll never be Mizukage now" comment, and found that one man stood out."

"My husband." The similar looking brunette cried, hugging her boys tightly.

"So wait," Naruto began, slightly confused. "Ramada was two different people?"

"No," Sasuke answered him. "He was one person with two different personalities."

Nedari nodded. "Yes…I knew about his split personality, the man you call "Ramada"." She explained, drying her eyes although she still cried. "Sasoi was his really name. He took meds to make sure that man never came to the surface…and one day about a year and a half ago, he disappeared."

"And that's why I called you here," Minato clarified. "So we can get all of this cleared up."

"Dad's not coming back?" Kyonen asked, looking to his mother and then to the Yondaime.

Gripping her boy tightly, the brunette nodded sadly. "No, baby. Dad isn't coming back." She sobbed, feeling both boys lean against her.

"How?" Yokan asked, picking up his head and looking at the Yondaime. "I want to know how."

Minato's eyes wavered slightly, wondering if he should tell them all the details or simplify it for them. "Alright," He relented, seeing both boys' and their mothers' eyes looking at him, pleading for an answer. "He kidnapped someone else, a Jinchūriki and tried to use it to take over Konoha, but the power was too much to handle."

The boys looked to each other and then their mother. "Does that mean Dad did something bad?" They asked.

Kirei was immediate to answer. "No." She stated firmly, looking at the boys.

Ruffling their eyebrows, they hesitantly left their mothers' lap at her beckoning finger.

Her hand in Sasuke's, she sighed, staring directly into the eyes of each boy. "Now," She looked to the boy on her left, "Kyonen?"

He shook his head, pointing to his brother. "I'm Yokan."

She nodded. "Well, Yokan," She looked to his brother on her right. "Kyonen, I'm Kirei. I want you to listen to me very carefully, okay?"

They nodded, eyes traveling to her eyes, the faded cuts and bruises on her face. "Yeah."

"Once people find out what happened those months ago," She began, looking back and forth between them. "they're going to say bad things about your dad. Very bad things, okay?"

They looked to each other and then back to Kirei, nodding. "Okay."

"But, don't you _**dare**_ listen to anything they say. Don't you listen or believe those bad things. Do you know why I'm telling you that?" She asked, tilting her head slightly.

They kept their sight on her, shaking their heads.

Kirei smiled at them softly, looking directly into brown eyes. "Because I was only one who was there." She told them. "I am the only person who knows what happened, so anything anyone tells you is wrong."

Kyonen and Yokan understood her, but that didn't answer their question. "But did he do something bad?"

Still smiling, she shook her head. "No. Your dad was a great and kind man because, without him," Turning her head, she looked to Sasuke first, then Naruto and then the boys again. "I wouldn't be here."

"My dad saved you?" Yokan asked, eyes looking at hers.

She nodded. "Yes. He gave up his life to save mine, so I could be with the ones I love." She answered, leaning down slightly to try and get eye level with them. "So whenever anyone says anything bad, don't you dare believe them."

Nedari watched the Hokage's niece talk to her boys, tears still falling from her eyes at her words. She was thankful, seeing as how it would be hard for her to explain why their dad was never coming home to them.

"Okay, Kirei." The twins answered her, smiling just a little as they went back to their mother, crawling onto her lap. "Can we stay here and play for a while, mom?"

"Yeah, please mom?" Kyonen added, big brown eyes pleading.

"I don't know boys," She answered, looking to the Yondaime. "It's up to Minato."

Unable to hide his smile, he looked away from them, faking a sigh. "I guess it's alright…" He joked, laughing slightly.

"Yay!!" They boys cried, jumping up from their mother's lap and running off to explore the huge mansion.

Shaking his head, the Hokage walked over to Nedari, kneeling to meet her. "You stay as long as you need to, alright?"

She nodded, reaching out to hug him. "Thank you so much, Minato."

He hugged back, shaking his head slightly. "It's no problem. Sasoi's body is at the morgue, waiting for someone to identify it. I'll call up here momentarily and ask that it be released to you and sent to the Land of Waves." He told her.

"Oh, Minato, you don't – "

"It's alright," He cut her off. "Just relax here for a while."

Turning his attention away from his dad and the brunette, Naruto smiled at his cousin, tousling her hair as he always did. "I'm very proud of you, saying that to those little boys."

She smiled back, mouth opening to yawn. "Thank you, nii-san…" She mumbled, leaning to her right, setting her head on Sasuke's shoulder. When she felt an arm wrap around her waist, she smiled even more, looking up to find black eyes on her. "I want to take a nap."

"With the day you've had," Sasuke told her, her tired eyes and smile making him chuckle slightly. "I'd want to sleep too."

Naruto laughed slightly, watching as Kirei's eyes shut and Sasuke leaned forward slightly, kissing her forehead. "Go ahead you two," He said softly, grinning as he stood up. "I'll try to keep the twins out of your way. And quiet."

The raven got up first, holding his tired love's right hand gently and pulling her up, allowing her to use him as a balance.

Holding onto her raven, she smiled tiredly at her cousin. "Good luck with that. Good night, Nii-san."

Grin on his face, he laughed slightly, seeing his nee-chan's eyes flutter shut. "Good night, Nee-chan." Walking off with a smile, putting his hands in his pockets, he decided to find those two little twins before they broke something, knowing it was okay to leave the two alone. Kirei was in good hands.

"Can you carry me?" Said blonde asked, eyes still closed, leaning her head on Sasuke's chest like she always did.

"I would," He told her, careful not to hit her left shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her waist gently. "But with that cast on your leg and your left arm being in a cast…I'm too afraid to hurt you." He explained.

"I don't care." She replied, earning a chuckle.

He did chuckle, kissing the top of her head. Looking down at her, a thought came to the raven, making him smile devilishly. She may not like the idea, but she wouldn't have to walk. "Well…"

Still slightly sleepy, Kirei smirked, knowing that playful tone in his voice, wondering what he had on his mind.

"There is a way I could carry you…" That smirk still placed upon his lips, his grip on her waist increased as he kneeled, lifting her up and placing her over his shoulder. He turned around, heading toward the stairs as he held onto her so that she wouldn't fall.

"Sasuke!!" She laughed in surprise, immediately driven from her sleepy state, beating on his back playfully with her right fist.

Traveling up the stairs, heading toward her room, Sasuke kept that smirk on his face, happy to hear her laugh again. "Well, you wanted me to carry you."

She took a slight deep breath, unable to take the smile from her face. "I didn't mean like this." She answered, shaking her head at him.

"It works, doesn't it?" He asked, continuing to walk down the hall until he arrived at her room, opening the door and walking inside, shutting it with his foot as he found his way through the messes on the floor to get to the bed in the corner of the room.

Kirei felt both his hands come to her waist and gently lift her up, setting her on her bed tenderly. "You didn't have to carry me all the way to my bed, Emo kid." She told him, tilting her head when he turned back around, heading toward the door and locking it.

Finding her confused look, he walked back over to her, explaining. "I'm selfish. I don't want to share you."

She chuckled, not able to stop smiling as she moved over as best she could, allowing him room on the bed. "What do you mean?"

He did lay beside her, setting his head on her pillow and pulling her into his arms, letting her move around and get comfortable since her casts, sling and broken ribs made it rather hard to lay the way she usually did. "Ever since we've moved in here," He began, wrapping an arm around her so he could play with her silky hair like he always did. "People have been coming to visit you."

"And that's bad?" She asked, closing her eyes while her ear listened to the heartbeat she'd sorely missed.

"No," He answered, sighing and looking around the room. "It's not…but I haven't seen you in forever...and with everyone coming here to see you all the time…"

She sighed, that smile on her face never wavering. She had to admit that he was right; a lot of people had been by the Hokage Manor lately, stopping by to see Kirei whenever they could because she wasn't allowed outside the house.

And the more she thought about it, the more she realized that with everyone coming over, she and Sasuke didn't really get a lot of time to themselves anymore. This thought made her a little depressed, seeing as how she'd spent almost half a year without him.

"You don't know how much I missed you, Princess."

"Yes I do." She answered, using her right arm to help her up so she could look into those mesmerizing black eyes she loved. "Cause I've missed you just as much, if not more."

He smiled softly at her, leaning forward and kissing her, sighing into the kiss. All the time she was gone, he'd gotten addicted to Hershey Kisses since they tasted almost as sweet as she did, but he'd never find something to substitute his love.

She was more than happy to kiss back, eyes closing instinctively and out of tiredness, smiling into this kiss.

He could sense her tiredness, pulling away despite the whine of protest. "No, you need your rest." He told her, tousling her hair.

Reacting like every time before, she cringed and giggled and although upset, she listened to him, nestling her head back on his chest, trying to make herself comfortable but also not hurt him.

When she finally became comfortable, her lips turning up into a smile when she found his heartbeat, she sighed happily. "…music?" She asked in a mumble.

Tearing his eyes from the pictures in the room, he looked back to her at her mumble, smiling slightly. "Sure, Princess." He answered, taking his hand away from her waist and reaching over to the nightstand where the remote for her stereo was. Hitting the power button, making the machine start up with a hum, Sasuke wondered what CD Kirei was listening to this time.

As he suspected, it was Ultra Blue by Utada Hikaru – a CD he'd just bought for her.

Hearing the beat to the first song and how Kirei's breathing slowed, he kissed the top of her head before she fell asleep completely, his right hand back on her waist, caressing it gently while his other hand played with a lock of hair. "I love you, Princess."

Half asleep while singing to the first song on the cd in her mind, Kirei heard him and tried not to mumble in return. "Love you too, Prince."

Fortunately for Sasuke, he'd come to understand her mumbles long, long ago. And with a shake of his head, he continued to play with her hair, letting his eyes close and take a large sigh.

It was great to be home again.

Especially when his world was home again.

* * *

Bzzzt.

Kirei felt it for the fifth time in 3 minutes. She might've been in La-la land and the cd might've changed, but she was sure as hell Sasuke's phone was vibrating in his pocket.

So far, he'd done nothing about it other than just lying there, continuing to play with her hair.

But, she wasn't going to do anything about it. It was hard enough to get comfortable with her sling, casts and broken ribs, let alone be comfortable while lying on her boyfriend. So, instead of moving and letting him know she was awake, she let it go, trying to get back to sleep.

And just as Kirei had gotten back to sleep…

Bzzzt.

Tensing slightly, Sasuke looked down at his sleeping blonde, hoping that whoever the hell was calling him so freaking much wouldn't wake her up. He would've reached into his pocket and answered it, but he didn't dare move and wake up his blonde.

Either way, he was waking her up.

Sasuke could only hope that whoever was calling would stop.

Bzzzt. Bzzzt.

Finally, Kirei sighed, keeping her tired eyes closed and yet waking up slightly. "Who the hell is calling you?" She asked, her tired voice quite irritated.

His playing hesitated for only a moment, returning after the shock that Kirei had been awakened by his phone. "I don't know." He answered, still feeling it ringing it in his pocket.

"Give it to me."

His left hand jerked to a stop, eyes slightly widening. "…what?"

"Give it to me." She repeated, her voice still irritated as she picked up her head, allowing her chin to rest on his chest.

Sasuke wasn't sure he wanted to do that, but what harm could it bring? What would Kirei really say to whoever it was? It was probably Naruto anyway. "Alright." He answered softly, taking his left hand away from her hair and shifting slightly, reaching into his pants pocket and pulling out the phone that'd woken his love.

Almost immediately, Kirei took it from his hand, mumbling incoherently when the phone stopped ringing.

He watched her, able to see half lidded blue eyes slightly upset and tired, wondering what she was going to say if it rang again.

Thankfully, it did ring again, Kirei taking her thumb and flipping open the phone, pressing it to her ear. "Who is this?" She answered, trying not to sound irritable, letting her eyes close for a moment.

"…Who is this?" The male's voice answered back.

"I asked you first." Kirei replied, sighing silently.

There was a pause on the other line, but then the male answered. "I'm the director. The one who let Sasuke and Naruto leave hours ago without so much as a goodbye and I'm hoping to get my actors back before the movie we're working on premieres and it's not finished because they never showed up to film." He explained, his voice slightly annoyed.

Despite her love for the show and the upcoming movie, Kirei was in no mood to feel sympathy. "Well, do you know who I am?"

"You certainly sound familiar." He answered, having heard her voice once before.

"I'm Kirei. The Hokage's niece – "

"Ah yes," He interrupted, remembering the female blonde. "Naruto's cousin."

"And Sasuke's girlfriend." She added, hearing silence on the other side. "Over the past few months, I've been through something traumatic. I have a broken collarbone, broken wrist, 5 broken ribs and have broken my leg in three places."

A hiss of pain rang over the line.

"Yes," She nodded. "And right now I'm finally spending time with my boyfriend for the first time in months. If you don't mind, I'd like to spend time with the both of them for the rest of the night. Especially _**my**_ Sasuke. You'll get them back tomorrow." She tried not to sound menacing.

A smile came onto Sasuke's lips, hearing her possessiveness.

"I can understand." He answered.

"Well, if you keep calling every freaking second, how can I do that?" She asked, tilting her head slightly.

His answer was quick. "I see. I'll see them tomorrow."

"Thank you." Kirei replied, smiling ever so slightly.

"You're welcome, Kirei-chan." With a small little click, the phone call was over.

Clipping the phone shut, the blonde set her head back on his chest, putting the phone back in his hand. "Shut if off just in case."

Staring at her for a few moments in silence, he finally blinked, shaking his head slightly and doing as she said. He'd never really seen this side of her, a very intimidating, irritated side yet somehow oddly cute. He could only hope she'd never use that power against him.

"Now put it on the nightstand." She said further, making sure that the phone was nowhere within reach unless absolutely needed.

He did so, coming back to watch his blonde and play with her hair again just after he kissed the top of her head. "You're so funny, Princess."

Finally happy that no one was going to bother them anymore, Kirei snuggled closer to him, trying to steal more body heat from him. "Sasuke?" She asked after a good long silence.

"Hn?" He asked back as he opened his eyes halfway, looking down at the blonde curled up with him, soft smile on his face.

"Be selfish more often."

That soft smile grew into a wide smile, his eyes closing as he shook his head. He couldn't even find anything to say, sighing happily and chuckling. Closing his eyes once more, seeing the sun beginning to set from the window, he thought about how good his life was.

He had his best friend, his acting job that he loved although it didn't seem like it and his world, his love right with him forever.

His smile widened just a little bit more.

Life was definitely good.

* * *

Sasuke couldn't believe what time he was getting home.

It was nearly 3 in the morning and he was just getting back to Kirei's loft, which he called home but hadn't exactly moved into yet.

About 2 a half months had passed since Kirei was out of the hospital and because she was nearly back to 100% health, she was allowed to move back into her loft. Obviously, Sasuke came with her.

Itachi told him he should just move into the loft since he was there all the time, but he hadn't gotten around to it yet. Plus, with finishing up filming for the latest movie, he was getting home later and later every night.

It was mid April and the premiere for the movie was set in June, which only gave them until the end of April to film and the month of May and early June to edit the film. So, filming time had gone into overdrive. They'd arrive early in the morning and not finish until late, or even into the next morning.

Sasuke didn't want to complain, but it was really cutting into his time with missions and with Kirei. She didn't come around as often, seeing as how it rained a lot during the month of April, but since he didn't get home till late, he only ever got to see her asleep. Naruto and Hinata could see each other anytime since they were both filming and at the film grounds.

Needless to say, it was putting a damper on his life.

With a sigh he walked into the house quietly, not surprised to find the lights and tv on, the volume turned down very low. He wasn't also surprised to see Kirei asleep on the couch, the blanket lying in a heap on the floor.

Setting his bag down near the door, he couldn't help but smile, walking over to his halfway curled up blonde, her bangs draped over her face in the cutest manner. "I told you not to wait up for me anymore." He mumbled, picking up the blanket and lying it over her properly, making sure it came up to her neck, just where she liked it to be.

She snuggled with the blanket slightly, still sleeping peacefully as her raven took the remote from her hands, shutting off the tv.

With the tv off, Sasuke sat in the chair beside the couch, wondering what he could do. He could just take off his shoes, turn off the light and crawl onto the couch with his blonde…but he could turn off the light, take her upstairs to her bed and go to sleep there…

Watching her, Sasuke decided the couch would be a nice place to sleep tonight. The plan that required him to do less was very nice indeed.

With another tired sigh, his eyes drooping every minute, he took off his shoes, flinging them somewhere, not really caring where they went. He'd find them in the morning.

Reaching over, he shut off the light with one hand, the other ruffling out his gel filled hair as he got up, coming back to the couch.

"It's a good thing this couch is huge…" He mumbled, thankful that Kirei's couch was more of a loveseat and the fact that she always seemed to sleep near the edge of it. It left him room to crawl behind her and hold her like he always loved.

He was careful not to wake her or pull to hard on the blanket, lifting it and crawling underneath it, finally burrowing his face in her shoulder, inhaling the sent of her hair that rested on said shoulder. Very gently he weaved his arm underneath hers, wrapping it loosely around her chest, smiling as he pulled her closer to him.

Waking up only slightly, Kirei smiled as well, knowing who was pulling her closer to them. In turn she snuggled closer, taking her left hand, the hand his arm had strung under and moved her fingers closer to his, smiling even more when his fingers laced with hers.

Sasuke sighed softly, happy to finally be able to get some sleep after a long day at the film grounds.

"Aren't you glad I waited up for you?" Kirei mumbled, feeling her raven smile against her skin.

"Shut up and go to sleep." He replied with a chuckle, smiling as he kissed her bare shoulder.

Shaking her head slightly, she nuzzled into her pillow, happy that her raven was finally home. She yawned before finally falling to sleep, realizing that for one of the very few times, he'd fallen asleep before her.

* * *

"But, Hinata!" Naruto cried, staring at his blue haired girlfriend as she sat on his bed. "Please, just pick one!"

Sitting on his rather messy bed in a rather luxurious ivory colored evening gown, Hinata smiled at his antics. The dress wasn't anything flamboyant, but a simple, ivory gown that had halter like straps and a v neck line, while the whole dress followed her curves all the way to the floor. At the moment though, her matching white sandal-heels could be seen since her legs were pulled up to her body, her one hand supporting her, the other holding her ankles. "Can't you just wear a regular black tie?" She asked, looking up and down her gorgeous blonde. "We're going to be late to the premiere."

He was currently in a tux, a nice, sharp black tux, save for the tie. Naruto had decided he wanted to be different, to be out of the ordinary – go figure. He didn't want to wear a normal black tie. He wanted to wear an orange tie.

The only problem was which orange tie to wear.

"I know, I know, but I can't, Hina! I've got to do something unexpected!" He replied, almost ready to pull his hair out.

She laughed slightly. Everything Naruto did was unexpected. "Well, alright I'll pick one for you."

Standing in front of her, he sighed happily, hugging his blue haired love. "Oh, thank you!! Thank you!" He let her go, running off to his closet to find the orange ties he wanted to wear.

She couldn't erase the smile from her face, shaking her head slightly. It wasn't that he wanted to wear an orange tie that made her worry. No, it made her laugh.

It was the fact that he _**had**_ orange ties that made her worry.

He came back as quickly as he left, holding all three ties up to his chest, explaining. "Well, this one here," He shook the one on his right, a regular sized , plain orange with a blue bottom tie. "I was planning on picking, cause it's my colors, but I really like this one," He motioned to the one in the middle, a clip on, neon orange tie. "cause it's really noticeable. But then there's this one," He motioned to the last one, a not neon, but not super shiny orange tie. It was more a soft shine, like silk, with a small, red Namikaze/Uzumaki crest on the bottom. "Which is kinda like a family heirloom."

Knowing her boyfriend so well, Hinata knew why he was having a dilemma. Getting up from the bed, she walked over to him, smiling at the fact that she was nearly as tall as him with heels. "I think you should go with…" She began, looking at all three before pointing to the one on the left, the silk orange tie with the family crest. "This one. It's not too out there and I'm sure everyone will laugh when they see it."

His trademark large grin took his face as he threw the other two ties on his dresser, taking the one she'd pick in both of his hands and running over to his bathroom, standing in front of the mirror as he tried to tie the tie.

Hinata smiled and waited. "5…4…3…2…1."

"Hina!!!" Was his pitiful cry for help.

With another chuckle, she went into his bathroom, shaking her head when she found the tie in, not a regular looking shape, but rather a very large, very disfigured bow tie. "You are absolutely helpless, you know that?" She asked with a laugh as she walked up to him, taking his shoulders and making him turn towards her.

"That's why I call you." He answered, grinning.

She closed her clear eyes for only a moment, smile still broad on her face, untying the poor tie and redoing it for him.

He watched, trying to remember the steps so that next time, he wouldn't have to call Hinata to tie it for him.

Finishing up, she pulled it down, centering it and about ready to tuck it into his buttoned jacket until he stopped her.

"Nope. Totally leaving it out." He said, turning to the mirror once more and fixing the tie until it was perfect. "I want everyone to see it."

How did she not see that coming? "Alright, sweetie. " Taking a moment to fix her hair, she waited until he'd fixed his and grabbed his tie, leading him out of the bathroom and grabbing their jackets before finally leaving the manor. "You know we're late because of your tie, right?" She asked as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, kissing her temple.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

"And almost 20 minutes late, finally, the star of the movie has arrived!!" One of the many Red Carpet announcers announced, clearly able to see the blonde Uzumaki with an…orange tie?

"Oh, why did you guys think I was going to be on time?!" Naruto declared with a smile, blinking his eyes in retaliation from all the flashes from the hundreds of cameras going off. "I had to find the right tie to wear!!"

More than a few cameramen and reporters laughed.

Standing right with him, a huge grin placed on her face, Hinata laughed as well, her arm laced in his. "We should probably take some pictures before going to meet up with everyone." She told him, whispering in his ear so that he could hear her.

"I know," He nodded, turning his head to face her. "But the second we're done, I'm gonna find Neji and Raiha and out those two. It's about damn time they say they're dating!" He yelled with determination, trying to look down the long red carpet to find said couple.

"Well," Hinata began with a glint in her eye, her smile growing into a smirk, seeing her blonde's blue eyes scan the crowd ahead of them. "Why don't we start this off with a bang?"

Naruto had no time to blink before he was yanked toward Hinata by his tie, his lips crashing against hers only a millisecond later.

And Naruto thought he was blinded by the camera's flashes before.

* * *

Nearly half an hour later, after taking so many pictures both Hinata and Naruto were seeing stars, they walked down the red carpet together, bidding hello's to some of the Akatsuki members that actually showed up and some of the other actors who they may have known but weren't really friends with.

Behind them walked Shikamaru, who'd – go figure – shown up nearly 45 minutes late. He had his hands shoved in his tux jacket pockets, his hair pulled up like normal, headband pinned to his sleeve like always. He figured that Naruto and Hinata would be able to lead them to their friends without him doing anything troublesome.

As always, Shikamaru was right.

"YES!!!" Naruto cried, bright blue eyes locking onto a certain long haired male and a very familiar brunette, grinning. His grin widened only when he'd seen them kiss. "I'VE GOT YOU!!!"

Everyone watched in pure amusement as Naruto tore through every person on that carpet toward Neji and Raiha, determined to out them to everyone.

"Got who?" Neji asked with a smug voice, holding his brunette in his arms, kissing her sweetly.

Naruto pointed at them dramatically. "YOU!!! You are totally going out like we all thought you were!!"

Standing in her beloved's arms in the cutest black, knee length, strapless dress with turquoise trim and black sandal – high heels, Raiha let a smile come onto her now blushing face, straightened hair falling over her shoulders. "Well…" She began, looking up to her love.

"That's not true." Neji finished for her, waiting for the blonde's outburst.

"It totally is and you know it!!! I just saw you kiss her!!" He retorted in disbelief, blue eyes wide, still pointing. "Don't try and weave your way out of this Neji!! I've got millions of photos to back me up here!!" He began, pointing back to all of the photographers who'd followed him.

"What is he screaming about now?" Shikamaru asked with half lidded eyes, finally walking up after Hinata.

"Oh, he's just trying to prove that Neji and Raiha are going out." Hinata informed, watching the scene with a smile.

He looked over at her lazily. "Like he has for the last year?"

She nodded. "Yep."

Neji never lost his smirk, looking down at his Raiha. "Actually…"

Smiling although she was blushing, Raiha extended her left hand, allowing everyone who was looking at her to see the rather beautiful diamond ring placed upon her ring finger.

"We're engaged."

If it was even possible, Naruto's jaw dropped all the way down to the red velvet carpet. His pointing finger and arm had slowly, ever so slowly begun to fall as the words registered in the blonde's brain. "Bu…bu…" He stuttered, eyes finally breaking away from the smirking Neji and smiling Raiha.

"What's going on?" Ino asked as she walked up, short platinum blonde hair pulled halfway back , donning a strapless, knee length, baby blue gown. It was rather plain, save for the slightly darker blue bow tied around her waist and the very slight sparkle it gave off in the right light. Her heels were similar to Hinata and Raiha's in the sandal style although hers were much higher and much more pointed, almost like stilettos.

"Is he overreacting again?" Sakura asked, walking up beside Ino. Unlike Ino, her hair was left down, allowing her bangs to fall over her eyes until she pulled them out of the way. Her dress was also unlike Ino's, in the fact that the dark blue, nearly navy blue gown extended to her feet, fanning out at the knees in a mermaid style dress. The top was halter like, coming up and around her neck, while only the front of the bust was ruffled, stopping only at a small ribbon that went around her chest.

Unfazed by Naruto's reaction, Hinata hugged her two friends and nodded. "Yep. He just found out Neji and Raiha are engaged."

Ino and Sakura laughed, watching as Naruto still stuttered.

"But…" He mumbled, staring with wide, almost puppy dog like eyes at the two now kissing. "That's not fair!!!"

Some of the cameramen and reporters had to dry their eyes from laughing so hard.

"I wanted to out them!!" He continued, not noticing the large cream colored dog that sat beside him.

"What's he complaining about now, Hina?" Kiba asked as he stood beside Akamaru, fixing the huge bow tie on the dog's neck. He then fixed his own tie.

She waved a hand, shaking her head as she smiled. "Just complaining."

"When doesn't he complain?" Shikamaru asked, arching an eyebrow just as he felt a pair of hands run down his back, coming around his waist from behind him.

"Hey there, lazy."

That eyebrow returned to normal, a lazy smile coming onto his face. Shikamaru knew that voice anywhere. "Troublesome woman, there's cameras around." He mumbled, knowing his Temari was the one nearly feeling him up.

"And when have I cared?" She replied, her maroon heels matching the dress she wore, setting her chin on his shoulder, kissing his cheek. The top of her dress was a halter like, black corset, a white ribbon strung in a zigzag manner, the bow tying at the bottom, where her maroon colored dress extended elegantly to her feet, covering her shoes.

She brought up an interesting point. "Now, let's go steal a moment before Naruto gets back to his senses." She whispered, turning her man around and dragging him off playfully by his clip on tie.

"Naruto has senses?" He asked with a smile, letting her lead him off. After all, Temari and her brothers never came to Konoha often, so when they did, they made the best of their time together.

Temari could only laugh in reply.

It didn't take too long for Naruto to return to his senses, seeing as how a couple licks from Akamaru helped pull him out of his trance of staring at Neji and Raiha in utter shock. "It's still not fair." He mumbled, crossing his arms and refusing to look at the two.

"Sweetie," Hinata began, trying not to giggle or laugh as she walked up to him, taking the orange tie in her hand gently, looking up to her blonde's eyes. "Why don't you wish them congrats? I mean, they are getting married."

Sky blue eyes flickered toward the new couple for only an instant. "Fine…Happy…marriage…or whatever." He told them, still refusing to look at them.

"You know he means well, nii-san." Hinata added, looking over to her cousin to find him not upset in the least.

He actually looked very happy, holding Raiha in his arms, nodding. "I know, Hinata." He replied, kissing Raiha's temple. "He's just stubborn."

"Tell me about it." Sakura interjected, rolling her eyes, turning her head away with a smile.

"More like bull headed." Ino added, letting one hand sit on her waist as her other elbow rested on that hand, letting her hold her head in the hand not near her waist, allowing her to tilt her head cutely.

As they conversed, Naruto had shut out their comments, used to hearing them all the time, his arms unfolding slightly as he looked around his group of friends.

There was Kiba and Akamaru to his side, Hinata in front of him, Sakura and Ino to his other side…Shikamaru _**was**_ behind him…and the couple – who in his mind would remain nameless – were in also in front of them, beyond Hinata.

He titled his head for a moment, looking up into the sky. Kiba, Akamaru, Hinata, Sakura, Ino, Shikamaru, Neji and Raiha…who was missing?

"Naru?" Hinata asked in concern, seeing that familiar look on Naruto's face. He was thinking.

He looked to his blue haired love, a slick smile set up on his face.

Everyone, even the paparazzi and reporters knew that that grin only meant one thing. Naruto was up to something.

"Where's nee-chan?"

* * *

Kirei sighed softly, loving the sound of the repeating guitar and the music building flooding her ears. She also loved the man she was leaning on, his arms wrapped around her waist securely, dancing slowly.

The headphones playing the music in her ears were also playing in his, both listening to the same song, thanks to the ipod Sasuke'd brought along with him.

As any other couple, he was in a sharp, crisp, jet black tux, while she was in one of the most elegant gowns she'd ever worn. Her Belle replica dress would always be her favorite, but Kirei would never wear that dress again. It already had memories and ties to it, why erase them?

So, only days before the premiere, Sasuke decided to do one of things he desperately hated; he went shopping. It wasn't him on his own, of course. Kirei came with him, allowed to pick any dress that she wanted and try it on if she pleased. Through much searching, she found a very stylish, very unique dress that called her name and told her that no one else would wear it.

A black, strapless corset began the dress, white satin going straight down, emphasizing where the corset had been sewn together, a short, white with black pinstripes coming out from the top of the corset, lace above that. Below the v shaped bottom of the corset was a white with black pinstripe skirt, tightened by a small, crisscrossed black ribbon tied onto the skirt. From there, black satin had been sewn into the bottom of the white skirt, poofing out in the back and extending to her feet while the front of the dress came to her thighs, allowing everyone to see her black high heels, although she wasn't great at walking in them. The last part of her dress was something she added, having thought they'd be a great addition to the dress. They were unattached black sleeves, nearly skintight from the bottom of the inch of white cloth until her wrists, widening slightly to reveal the white at the ends that covered her hand and knuckles.

Despite her protests, he paid for the dress, the material to make the sleeves and her shoes because he wanted to. She was his Princess and he was going to spoil her – even if she didn't want to be spoiled.

_"Down to you…_

_You're pushing and pulling me down to you,_

_But I don't know what I want_

_Now when I caught myself, I had to stop myself, _

_I'm saying something I should've never thought._

_Now when I caught myself, I had to stop myself,_

_I'm saying something I should've never thought of you, of you,_

_You're pushing and pulling me down to you,_

_But I don't know what I want_

_No, I don't know what I want..."_

Kirei hummed along, her head and hands resting gently on his chest, slowly dancing to the beat while his arms wrapped around her, keeping her close to him and allowing him to set his head on hers gently, afraid to ruin her hair.

They were at the end of the red carpet, near the entrance of the movie theater, opting to stay out of the limelight.

Within the last month, information about the fake Akatsuki had been leaked and Kirei did not want to be questioned about it. She had a hard enough time telling her uncle, cousin and boyfriend. She couldn't tell complete strangers.

Sasuke knew this fact better than she thought. That was the reason he'd brought his ipod with him, so that she wouldn't have to deal with everyone asking her questions. She could tune them out with a simple press of a button. Plus, he never really liked to take photos and be in the spotlight like Naruto did, so it worked out perfectly for him.

And holding her like he was now kept her from leaving, kept her from being dogged by the relentless paparazzi who would ask anything to get an answer and he'd be damned if someone upset his Princess.

_"You got it, you got it,_

_some kind of magic,_

_Hypnotic, hypnotic,_

_You're leaving me breathless._

_I hate this, I hate this, _

_You're not the one I believe in,_

_With God as my witness."_

The raven felt his blonde sigh softly once more, a smile coming across his lips from her sigh. Her sigh meant that she was happy, that she was content.

_"Now when I caught myself, I had to stop myself,_

_I'm saying something that I should've never thought._

_Now when I caught myself, I had to – "_

"Hey…" Kirei whined softly, feeling Sasuke take just one of her headphones out of her ear, lessening the sound of one of her favorite songs.

"I know," He began, using that same hand to pet the part of her hair she hadn't pinned up. "But there's something I want to tell you." He said softly.

"Mmhmm?" She asked back, still a bit miffed that she was missing parts of her favorite song, but strangely curious on what he had to say. Sasuke always just told her things. He never said he wanted to tell her something.

"We've both kinda been busy the last few months…and I really haven't gotten to see you a lot, so I decided to do something about it." He told her, a small smile coming onto his face as he looked down at her.

"Oh really?" She asked, picking her head up and looking into those onyx eyes she loved. She let her hands slip over his chest, lacing themselves behind his neck. "And what's that?"

He closed his eyes, turning his head away from her slightly. "Nope. I'm not telling what it is. Yet. Just know that I've got something planned for the two of us."

Smiling and yet pursing her lips, she glared playfully at him. "Well," She began. "If you won't tell me what it is, when are you going to tell me?"

"You'll see." He answered with a smile, opening only one eye to see her reaction.

Her eyes were half-lidded, lips turned up in a smile. "You just love torturing me, don't you?"

Squeezing her waist gently, he crouched down just slightly, enough for him to nuzzle her neck. "Never, Princess." He answered sarcastically.

She couldn't help but laugh and giggle, feeling his breath and bangs tickling her skin. "I love you, Prince."

Kissing her silky soft skin, he smiled against it, hearing her laugh. "I love you, too, Princess." He mumbled, tracing kisses up her neck and over her jaw, coming back to the sweet tasting lips that he loved.

In what seemed like forever and a day, they broke the kiss for lack of air, coming to stand in the same positions as before.

Kirei returned her head to his chest, hands slipping back from his neck to his chest, sighing a very content sigh, smile on her lips. It was only then that she realized the headphone Sasuke had taken out was back in her ear, although the song she had been listening to was over. "Sneaky bastard." She mumbled, smirking.

"Yes, but I'm your sneaky bastard." Sasuke whispered into her hair, smiling as he said it.

She chuckled, shaking her head as much as she could. "You better believe it."

"Nee-chan!!"

Looking up with narrowed black eyes, Sasuke saw the tuff of blonde hair making it's way toward them and set a hand upon Kirei's head, keeping her from picking it up. "Ignore it. Maybe he'll go away."

"I can see you, ya know!!!"

Kirei could only laugh, feeling Sasuke's grip tighten around her waist. "He was bound to find us sometime, Sasuke. Better now than when the cameras are around."

She had a very convincing point. At least, any other time, that is. Being taller than her, he could see the horde of paparazzi follow him with smiles. "I hate my luck."

"Why – "

Kirei realized why only a second later, when she felt another pair of arms wrap around not only her, but Sasuke as well.

"Nee-chan!!" Naruto repeated, his arms wrapped around both Kirei and Sasuke's shoulders, squeezing as tight as he could. "Why aren't you out on the red carpet?! It's so much fun out there!!"

Completely disregarding the taller blonde's questions, Sasuke looked over to his friend, glaring with the hardest glare he had. The only person truthfully allowed to hug him was Kirei and, despite the similarities, Naruto was definitely not Kirei.

Seeing and feeling the glare from the Uchiha, Naruto immediately let go of the two, tilting his head slightly to catch Kirei's sight as she took the headphones from her ears, putting them back in Sasuke's jacket pocket. "How are you, nee-chan?" He asked, wondering why, now of all times, Kirei seemed rather timid and scared.

Staying in her love's arms, her hands holding onto his shirt gently, deep blue eyes flickered to the horde of paparazzi behind her cousin, screaming and hollering at the three of them to come closer. "I'm okay." She answered, softly, small smile set upon her lips.

Sky blue eyes narrowed slightly. "And why don't I believe you?" He asked, trying to keep his voice sweet as to not scare her further.

"She's afraid about being asked about you-know-what." Sasuke told him, sparing his Princess from saying it, gripping her waist just slightly, letting her know that he wasn't going to leave her.

Sky blue eyes flickered to onyx for only a moment, returning his eyes to his cousin's after realizing what Sasuke was talking about. "Oh."

"Yeah," She nodded, looking directly into those similar blue eyes. "I don't want to talk about that. Not here, not now." She said firmly, shaking her head. "I can't."

"Sweetie," He began, a smile taking his face. "I'm sure that if we ask them not to ask about it, they won't. As long as you smile and take pictures for them, they'll do anything we ask." He explained, trying to convince her.

"But – "

He raised a hand, cutting his cousin off. "Just watch." Walking over to the rope that separated the paparazzi from the actors, he looked to all of them. "Hey guys, do you think you could do me a big favor?"

There were cries of yeses and sure's through the crowd, along with nods.

"I can get my cousin and that emo teme out here for pictures, but you've all got to promise me you won't bug my cousin with questions and stuff. She's not in the mood to talk today, alright?" He asked, blue eyes scanning the crowd.

"What kind of pictures are we talking about?" One photographer asked, holding his camera with one hand, eyebrows ruffled.

Naruto scrunched his nose, looking up in thought. Sure, he'd thought about taking pictures, but he hadn't thought about what kind of pictures to take.

"How about a few family photos?"

Everyone looked behind Naruto, smiles on their faces as they heard a very familiar, very loved voice.

"Dad!" Naruto cried, blinking his eyes to make sure he was seeing straight as he turned around.

Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage of Konoha was standing behind him, smiling broadly in the middle of the red carpet. Unlike every other guy there, he was not in a tux, favoring that his Hokage attire was more than good enough for the red carpet. "Hey there, son."

"Uncle Yondy?" Kirei asked, tilting her head as she ventured closer to the carpet and out from the overhang of the theater, Sasuke following her happily, keeping himself in between her and the paparazzi. "What are you doing here?" She asked, coming up further to hug her father-like uncle.

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders as he motioned to Sasuke that she would be all right, he wrapped his other arm around his son, bringing the both of them closer to him, making them look in slight confusion at the smile on his face. "I think it's time we update our family photos."

"Perfect!" The photographer who'd asked what kind of photos screamed. "It's absolutely perfect!!"

"Just smile and look wherever they ask you to, nee-chan." Naruto said, smiling over at his cousin who seemed just a little happier than before.

Still standing beside her, Sasuke ran her hair through his hands, allowing some of it to fall onto her shoulders, bringing her to look at him. "I'll be right over here, okay, Princess?"

Smiling happily, Kirei nodded, watching as her boyfriend walked away from them, giving the three blondes enough room to get their family photos without him sneaking his way in.

And so, the flashes of the cameras started while blondes smiled, all three different shades of blue eyes looking here and there, sometimes coming back to look at each other. Even the grins were the same, albeit, they were different sizes. Naruto's, as he noted, was the largest.

If anyone had any doubt that Kirei was a Namikaze, this was certain proof that she was, indeed a Namikaze.

Within a few minutes, the group who had followed Naruto down the red carpet caught up with him, stopping a few feet away to give them room just as Sasuke did. Smiles were spread over all their lips, watching with laughs and light hearts.

Even a few Akatsuki had shown up, following the group of smaller teens when they heard Naruto's cries of "Nee-chan!!". They also watched the scene with smiles and – Deidara's – squeals of joy.

Looking over at her cousin and Uncle, deep blue eyes caught the taller raven standing in the group of people, giving a smile and nod when he saw her. That was when something occurred to Kirei, making her roll her lips nervously and look to her cousin and Uncle again. "Um," She began softly, looking back and forth between the two who looked over at her. "Can we hold on for one second?"

Both Naruto and the Yondaime looked over, Naruto tilting his head, the Yondaime knitting his eyebrows together, wondering why she'd asked to stop for only a moment.

"Uh…sure, Nee-chan." Naruto mumbled, casting an unsure glance to his dad, telling him that he didn't know what she wanted.

Even though she asked to pause, the camera's recorded every movement the shortest blonde made as she left her Nii-san and Uncle's arms, walking over to their group friends to the left. She smiled to all of them, making her way through with "excuse me's" and "pardon me's", coming to meet up with the Akatsuki members.

"Cutie!!" Deidara cried as he saw her, immediately wrapping her into a very crushing hug.

She laughed, hugging back. "Nice to see you too, Deidara-sempai, but…" She led off, pulling away from him and looking over to her Ita-san, biting her lip gently. Without continuing, she walked up to him, smiling when he smiled at her.

"Having fun, Kirei?" The tall raven asked, wondering what was on the blonde's mind with her smile and bitten lip. From spending so much time with her, he knew there was some sort of plan on her mind.

She nodded happily, smile growing as she extended both her hands and took his one, pulling him through the group of people and back to Naruto and the Yondaime.

Seeing their confused looks, Itachi shrugged his shoulders, telling them that even he didn't know what she had on her mind.

"Okay," She mumbled, finally letting go of Itachi just as soon as he was close enough to her uncle and cousin, taking Naruto by the shoulders and moving him away from his spot. She went back to Itachi, moving him into Naruto's previous spot, then moving her cousin in front of Itachi. "Just stay here." She told them, smiling and nodding, trying to assure them.

Everyone watched in further amusement, the cameras still recording her every moment as she walked to her right, opposite of where all her friends were. Some of their friends were on that side, waiting for the doors of the theater to open, but Kirei wasn't focused on them. She was focused on someone who meant more than any friend could.

Sasuke watched with as much confusion as his brother and friend, a confused smirk set upon his face as he wondered what was on her mind. Her smile told him that whatever was on her mind wasn't probably good for him. "Princess?" He asked as she stood only a foot away from him, hoping that he might get an answer.

Her smile widened as she slipped her hands into his, gently pulling him away from the overhang to the two blondes and one raven who watched her curiously.

With their confused, but asking looks, Sasuke did the same as his brother, shrugging his shoulders to tell them that even he didn't know what she was doing.

"Well, shit," Naruto mumbled, staring at his cousin as she walked closer, Sasuke trailing behind her. "If teme doesn't know what's on her mind, none of us will."

Both Itachi and Minato chuckled, all three guys watching with smiles as Kirei pulled Sasuke into their little group.

Pulling his arms around her waist, she stood with him, her cousin on her left, Itachi behind her and to the left, Minato behind both of them and to the right. Still smiling, she looked at all of them. "Now it feels like family."

The confusion lifted from the four of them as they heard her, the words registering in their minds.

"I mean," She continued a slight blush on her face, looking back to the cameramen and smiling, blinking from the bright flashes. "Ita-san is like my other older brother…and you," She gripped the hands around her waist, turning her head back and looking into those onyx eyes she loved. "Well, you're kinda part of the family anyway…so…"

"I think it's perfect." Minato said, his grin widening as he looked out into the photographers. Naruto and Kirei were definitely his kids and with the way Kirei and Sasuke's relationship was going, Sasuke might become one of his kids anyway, which kind of made Itachi one of his kids too.

"Now wait a minute," Naruto began, his eyes narrowing slightly when Sasuke wheeled Kirei around in his arms, kissing her sweetly. "If she gets to bring him into this family, I'm totally bringing Hinata in." He said, immediately walking off to the group on the left, grinning when he locked eyes with his blue haired love, throwing an arm around her shoulders as he led her back to the "family".

Flashes of cameras were more active than ever, taking pictures of the very loved – albeit strange – family of Konoha.

* * *

More than 20 minutes passed like 5, with the family still taking photos until one photographer suggested an all-cast shot. Almost immediately, every cast member flooded the once previous spot of the family photos, ready and willing to take cast shots. It had been a while since their last one, so they figured an update was in store.

Before joining the rest of the cast, Sasuke walked with Kirei away from the cast since she wasn't exactly one of the Actors, though they treated her like one. They stopped near the line of reporters and photographers who were too busy interviewing others and asking for shots to bother her. "You sure you'll be okay?" He asked, seeing how her slightly scared eyes darted to the men and women with microphones and notepads.

She looked back to him, nodding slowly, putting a small smile on her face. "Yeah…you'll only be gone for a few minutes, so I think I'll be fine."

He smiled back softly, crouching slight and brushing her bangs away to kiss her forehead like he always did. "I love you, Princess."

She laced her arms around his neck, keeping him right in that crouched position and smashing his lips against hers. She wasn't going to let him get away with just a kiss on the forehead. "I love you, too, Prince." She told him after finally breaking away.

With half the cast watching them, a small sliver yelling at him to get over there, Sasuke left his love, walking over with a smug smile on his face.

Kirei watched him walk over, smiling and laughing once the photo's started, seeing how Kiba and Naruto messed up almost every shot with either ruffling up Sasuke's hair or doing something outrageous.

"Excuse me," A reporter from beyond the line separating them from the red carpet began, recognizing the blonde as one Namikaze Kirei; the only girl who knew what had happened all those months ago at Akatsuki. "but may I possibly ask you a few questions?"

Kirei turned around, slightly startled. "Um," She began, smile fading from her face when she found a reporter smiling back at her. "N-no, I'm sorry, I can't – "

Suddenly, another reporter popped up beside the other, pen and pencil in hand. "Yes, please, can you tell us what happened that day at the Akatsuki base?"

"What was "Ramada" like, Namikaze-san?" Yet another reporter asked, pointing a recorder into Kirei's face, not fazed by the scared look on her face.

Slightly frantic blue eyes looked at all three reporters, looking to their pencils, microphone and tape recorder, all shoved into her face. Her mouth was open slightly, trying to refuse her pursuers, yet nothing came out.

Her mind was too busy racing, thinking of every thought she'd locked away at the mention of the base, Ramada and Akatsuki. Just those words brought flashes to her eyes as she began to remember what she'd strived to forget.

Tilting his head at the unfocused and somewhat scared eyes of the youngest Namikaze, the reporter with the pencil and paper tried to get something out of her. "Namikaze-san? Are you alright?"

"Who cares?" The one with a tape recorder snapped. "This is the leading story, we need answers!"

With this shout, a few more reporters ventured over, curious at who they were talking to. When they realized it was Kirei the others were talking to, they immediately took out their recording devices and joined in on the group, hoping to get the same information as everyone else and get it published before anyone else.

"What was the base like?"

"Who else was there, other than yourself? Were they demented? Crazy, perhaps?"

"Did they ever hurt you? Or did they take care of you?"

The questions rolled off their tongues like water rushing off a cliff. Their questions and voices overlapped each other so much, Kirei's brain couldn't possibly hope to keep up, making her close her eyes and whimper, trying to block out the words and voices. She wished with all her heart that everyone around her was gone, that it was just her and her Prince at home, reveling in the music of her studio.

Unfortunately, what she wished for and what happened wasn't the same thing.

Noticing the girl's discomfort, one reporter asked a question that should never be asked in public. "Were you raped, Namikaze-san?"

Kirei's whole body stiffened in absolute shock at those words. Her blue eyes opened wide, staring at the red velvet carpet, her brain trying to process those words. She didn't even realize it, but her whole body began to shake.

It was only when a pair of very familiar arms wrapped around her securely and his chin sit upon her head did her body stop shaking, finally relaxing as her eyes slipped shut and she leaned against him.

Holding onto his Princess tightly, Sasuke's blood red Sharingan bored into each and every reporter's eyes, making them stiffen in absolute fear. Never once had Sasuke used his Sharingan in public before. "That's enough." He growled, staring down each reporter until they walked – more like ran – away.

Sighing a quiet sigh, but still seething with rage, Sasuke kept her in his arms for a few moments, allowing the both of them to calm down before speaking. He knew that if he spoke now, it wouldn't be very decent for people to hear.

He just couldn't fathom how someone could ask questions as private, as disturbing as those. Although he was taking pictures with the cast, he could plainly see her discomfort and want to leave. So, if he could see it so easily, he wondered why anyone would ask a question like that when the person answering didn't seem like they wanted to answer.

The only possible conclusion was that reporters were sharks. Willing to do anything to get an answer; anything to get a story.

Feeling Kirei squirm in his grip, Sasuke picked up his head and loosed his grip, watching with a slight smile as she turned around, holding onto his jacket with both hands, burrowing her face into his chest like she always did. "Are you okay, Kirei?" He asked, tightening his grip once again, moving his hands to kneed her back gently and pet the part of hair that was still down.

She did not answer him in words, only nodding her head slightly, not caring if she smeared her make-up on his shirt or her hair fell out. All she cared about was that he'd come and saved her, like he promised her so many months ago.

Although he was focused on the blonde currently attached to him, Sasuke's now black eyes caught another blonde in the corner of his eye. Still holding on, but looking up, he found a curiously worried Naruto looking at them.

"What happened?" He asked, trying to see his cousin's face to make sure Kirei wasn't crying.

Sasuke gave a small smile, shaking his head as he said, "Don't worry about it."

Still holding onto his shirt, Kirei laid her head on his chest, her face facing her cousin, a small smile crossing her lips. "I'm okay, Nii-san. I just got a little upset, that's all." She explained, looking up at her cousin.

He wasn't quite sure that she was, but let it go, seeing as how she was with Sasuke and he'd kill him for questioning further. He grinned back. "Okay, Nee-chan."

At his grin, she grinned back, letting him know that even though she wasn't really talking, she was okay. Life may not have been easy with all the information leaking and everyone trying to get information out of her, but it would die down eventually. And that, she knew, is when life would come back to normalcy, which made her smile even more.

"I'm glad you're not letting those people get to you." Sasuke said, immediately noticing how happy his blonde had become.

She chuckled, looking up to her boyfriend. "They can't get to me cause you're holding me."

"That's the point." He replied with a smirk, crouching ever so slightly as he wrapped his arms, not around her waist as usual, but just a little lower, around her thighs, picking her up and off of her feet.

"Sasuke!" She cried out with laughter, smiling as she removed her hands from his tux and set them upon his shoulders for balance. "Put me down." She commanded with a smile, even though she really didn't want to be put down.

"No." He refused, not caring who was watching. It was just him and his Princess.

Staring directly into those onyx eyes she loved, she smirked. "I guess I'll have to make you then."

"And how do you plan to do that?" He asked back, wondering what that smirk meant.

Before anyone could blink, Kirei laced her hands into jet black hair, effectively bringing her closer as to kiss the one she loved.

He kissed back happily, smiling into the kiss as he closed his eyes instinctively and from the flashes of thousands of cameras.

Feeling him smile, she smiled as well, hands griping his hair as her right foot "popped", rising just a little as her toes pointed. Enwrapped in the kiss, Kirei forgot that nearly everyone on the red carpet was watching them.

No one dared to disturb them, knowing the violent Uchiha would probably kill them for ruining "their" moment, so even as the doors to the theater opened, everyone left them alone.

At least until Naruto came up.

"Hey, lovebirds!!" He called, walking straight up to his best friend and cousin, using his knuckles to rap onto the raven's head, stopping the kiss. He may be okay with the two of them dating, but he was sure as hell not okay with them kissing in public. Especially with thousands of cameras around.

Growling slightly, Sasuke pulled away, turning his head to see who'd interrupted his kiss. "What?" He snapped, glaring at the older blonde.

"Theater's open now." Naruto told them, immune to the Uchiha's glare. He'd seen it so many times, it'd become useless. "You can go ahead in."

"Do we have to?" Sasuke asked, turning back to his blonde, who was still off the ground.

Kirei chuckled, pressing her nose against his. "It's your guys' movie. Of course we have to go." She answered. "And you can put me down now."

"I don't think so." He replied, playful smirk on his face.

Just as Naruto opened his mouth to protest and yell, Hinata clamped her hand over his mouth, shutting him up. She'd been just a few feet away, smiling at the two and yet shaking her head at Naruto. He'd really become an overprotective brother, hadn't he? "Let them go, sweetie," She began, keeping her hand over his mouth while using her other hand to pull him along by the tie. "They'll come in soon."

He mrffed in response, crossing his arms.

"Oh, and you two should probably congratulate Neji and Raiha!" Hinata smiled, yelling over the few people had separated the two couples.

Still off the ground, Kirei ruffled her eyebrows at the blue haired girl. "Why?"

Ripping her hand off his mouth, Naruto growled. "They're getting married!" He cried in frustration, still upset that he couldn't out them first.

Kirei blinked, her eyebrows still knitted as she looked back to Sasuke, who still held her off her feet. "Isn't that a good thing?" She asked.

"I think he's mad because he didn't get to prove they were dating before they got engaged." He explained, knowing the Uzumaki well enough to know what made him mad.

"Oh yeah," She nodded. "I guess that does make sense…but are you ever going to put me down?"

He sighed, frowning playfully. "All right…" He complained, setting her back on her feet gently and holding his arm out for her just like he did for Prom those many months ago. Thinking back, he was astounded to remember that Prom was nearly a year ago. "I guess we'll head in."

Just like she'd done all those months before, she took his arm, smile broad on her face as they walked inside, leaving all the pestering reporters outside.

Not knowing the large theater as well as she would've like, Kirei let Sasuke lead the way through the very popcorn smelling lobby and – after buying some candy at her protests – found their way into the jam-packed theater.

"Nee-chan, nee-chan!!" Naruto cried as he jumped out of his seat and over a few rows, running over to her. "We saved you guys some seats!! Come on!!" He yelled over the chatter, taking his sister's empty hand and pulling her along, which also pulled a grumbling Sasuke along.

He led them to the near dead center of the seats where a few familiar faces were seated, chatting and waiting for the movie to begin while popping certain candies and popcorn into their mouths.

"I see you two are still attached." Hinata said, casting a sly smile to Kirei and Sasuke as Naruto sat down beside her, pulling his sister into the seat next to him and Sasuke the seat the beyond that.

"Yes, we are." Sasuke answered, taking his arm away from hers and lacing it over her shoulders.

Before Hinata could get a word in edgewise, the lights dimmed and then shut off, making the theater dark and silent.

"SHHHHHHH!!!" Naruto cried in excitement, staring with big blue eyes at the screen, waiting for the movie to begin. "It's starting!!!"

Almost everyone either shook their heads or laughed, knowing Naruto was a little more than excited to see this movie. They were as well, but not to the point he was.

So, as the projector in the room high above them began, the screen lit up as the movie began, making Naruto shush everyone even more.

And while stealing popcorn from her cousin, eating her own candy and completely engulfed in the movie, Kirei caught something out of the corner of her eye, making her smile ever so slightly. She only glanced over at first, then turned her head when she realized something.

Sasuke was watching her. He had those black eyes half lidded, but focused on her and his lips turned up into a slight smirk.

"Stop it." She whispered with a smile, leaning closer to him.

Onyx eyes never wavering, he smiled back, leaning closer to her. "Stop what?" He asked, smile turning into a devilish smirk as he closed the gap between their lips and kissed his Princess.

Like every time before, she kissed back, happy to be home again. Happy to be with the ones she loves again. When they finally broke apart, Kirei sighed, snuggling closer to him as much as she could with an armrest in the way.

Still smiling, he leaned up against the armrest, allowing his arm to wrap around her shoulders even more. Before looking up at the screen, he kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Kirei."

Tilting her head up to see him, she smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "I love you, too, Sasuke."

_~Fini~_


End file.
